time of Christes preaching or the time of the gospell preaching from Christes assencion to the latter ende of the world That is the very time of the féeding of his Church And not open is this féeding here but in secret in the wildernes among a sort vnknowne to the worlde hauinge the pouertie of the spirit without shaâ—ing anoynting or hypocrits apparrell And not onely hath the Lorde thus nourished hys people in this spirituall respecte but also in body When they haue bene greuously handled spoyled of their goodes imprisoned and exiled graciously hath he reléeued them and prouided for them both solace and comeforte at the handes of them whom they neuer saw afore So that the iust hath not felt himselfe forsaken nor his children séeking bread THE TEXT 1 And there was a great battayle in heauen 2. Michaell and his Angels 3 Fought with the Dragon and the Dragon fought and his Angels 4. And preuayled not 5. Nether was their place found any more in heauen 6. And the great Dragon that olde serpent called the deuill and Sathanas 7. was cast out 8. Whiche deceiued all the worlde 9. And he vvas caste into the earth and his Angelles were cast out vvith hym also The Paraphrase 1 And there happened at that time sayeth sainct Iohn a great battayle in Heauen In the Churche is euermore variaunce and strife wtout ceasinge betwixt the spirite and the flesh the good and the bad the faithfull and the vnfaithfull None other is this battayle but a very contradiction a diuersity in fayth study opinion wyll and worke aboute the lawes or commaundements of God and also about the lawes and tradycions of men This battaile is waightie in cause multitude and continuance The cause thereof is Christe the Gospell faith rightuousnesse mans health Gods high honour and such other lyke on the one partie Upon the other party the cause is errour hipocrisie lyes Idolatrye auarice pryde cruelty fylthynesse with al such other So great is the multitude that none is founde out of it None is there but are in this army Eyther they are good or bad faithfull or vnfaithfull rightuous or vnrightuous The rightuous are of the host of Michaell the vnrightuous are vppon the dragons side Continued hath this battayle from the firste beginninge and so shall styll to the latter ende Yea though the dragon be bound or tyed vp vnder the seauenth seale opening that he rage not then as he hath done afore Yet shall the spirit of wickednes and a mind to do mischief raigne inwardly styl in his members for Sathan can be but a Sathan and a Diuill a Diuill 2 Michaell and his Angels fought valyauntly with the dragon Spirituall are they whiche hath done on Christ after the minde of Paule and spirituall is their armoure Theyr gyrding is verytie their brest plate rightuousnesse their shielde a sure faith their wepon the word of God their helmet the hope of health and for stedfastnesse of their féete their shooinge the gospel By interpretation is Michaell to say who is as God or who is like vnto god And he betokneth the constant minister sincere teachers of the Gospell The Angels of Michael are al they that in a sure faith coÌ„fesseth the eternall magnificeÌ„ce of God and that none is lyke vnto hym Contrarywise the Dragons Angels are the hipocrits lying prophets and erronius teachers 3 These fight with the Dragon and the Dragon and his Angelles with them For he that is not with Christe is against hym With the rituous is Michael For ministring spirits are the Angels ordained for the coÌ„fort of theÌ„ which shall be saued And coÌ„maunded they are to wait vpoÌ„ the faithfull to preserue and defend theÌ„ The wicked sort haue the Diuil and his chaplaines to fight for them the rightuous haue Michael and his Angels The wicked fighteth with errours lyes the rightuous with the only verity of God 4 As vengeable as fierce as they are yet preuaile they not neither is their place found any more in heaueÌ„ Faith hath the victory by the promise of god though the blinde world séeth it not OuercomeÌ„ ar the wicked wheÌ„ their enterprises taketh not clene ouerthrowne wheÌ„ theyr beggery is conteÌ„ned And neuer is the full victory gotten no more theÌ„ it was in christ til the tabernacle of this body be laid aside At that day is the crown gotteÌ„ whom the Lord hath layde vp for the rightuous And lyke as there is dayly fighting so is therin some daily victory Dayly ar the angels of darknes ouerthrown daily are they cast out of heaueÌ„ which is the true church Daily are they coÌ„demned by the worde of God iudged for rebels against the holy ghost whose sin is neuer forgeuen 5 No place haue they any more with the chosen no electioÌ„ nor acceptation afore god The more light they haue had the more they haue tasted of the truth now forsaking it rebelling against it with the diuill the farther they are froÌ„ god the more nigh vnto daÌ„nation Neuer beléeued he truely that so had receiued the word Let none think to be saued vnlesse he perseuereth to the ende 6 And the great Dragon or capâ—tayne of all the vnfaithfull sorte that olde croked Serpent which deceiued Adam is called the diuill or malycious accuser yea and also Sathan the most cruell aduersarye with all hys clyentes and spirituall adherentes are certayne and sure to be cast out 7 With the rightuous they shall haue no porcion for all their gloryous tytles With the godly shall not their names be registred for all their holy vnccions But with the prince of this worlde they shall be throwne foorth 8 For he by them and they by him hath deceiued all the world in lying tokens and wonders and in the operation of errours to the vtter dampnation of all them that consenteth to their wickednesse 9 And he was cast into the earth his Angels also were caste out with him which is not els but that they are reserued to eternall damnation For seruing the creature rather than the Lorde that made all God hath forsaken them and geuen them ouer to theyr owne shamefull lustes All grace and goodnesse hath he taken from them and in all darknesse hath he left them Nothinge is now behinde but hell fyre prepared for the diuill and hys Angelles The church thus fyrste bringinge forth Christ among the Iewes and so by their cruelty driuen out into the wild deserte of the Gentiles hath bene there fedde of God in percecution euer since and shall be styll tyll the tearme come out of the aforesayde thousande two hundreth and thrée score dayes whose end is in the Lords handes THE TEXT 1 And I heard a lowde voyce whiche said 2. In heauen is now made saluation and strength 3. And the kingdome become our Gods 4. And the power his Christes 5. For he is cast dovvne which accused them before God day and night 6. And they ouercame him by
2. Come dovvne from heauen 3. hauing the key of the bottoÌ„lesse pyt 4. And a great chayne in his hande 5. And he toke the Dragon the olde serpent vvhyche is the Diuell and Sathanes 6. And hee bounde hym a thousand yeares 7. And cast hym into the bottomlesse pitte 8. And he bounde hym 9. and sette a seale on hym 10. that hee should disâ—eyue the people no more 11. tyll the thousande yeares vvere fulfilled 12. And after that must he be losed 13. for a lyttle season The Commentary 1 IN the end of these reuelations afore rehersed saieth S. Iohn sawe I in a secrete vysion an Angell of most singuler bewtye betokning Iesus Christ the Aungell of Gods eternall couenaunt 2 From the high heauen aboue came this Angell downe vnto the earth sent of the euerlasting father For neyther spared that louing father to sende his most dere and onely sonne at the time appoynted nor yet the obedient sonne to submit him selfe to the shape of a seruaunt and so become manne â—iâ—tâ—riously did he ouercome both deathe and the Diuell as appeareth by hys great miracles resurrection and asceÌ„cion And lyke as he came downe first of all with a pâ—ssible meekenesse so came he downe ater that wyth an impassyble and inuysible mayiestie Sodeine was thys latter comminge downe most maruelous to the worlde such tyme as he by his heauenly spirit replenished his Apostles with all necessary knowledg And the noyse therof was hearde the worlde ouer tuche tyme as they did preach it abrode SiÌ„sibly was this coÌ„ming downe expressed in Saule olso the mighty power therof when hée throwe him to the grounde and sayd Saule Saule why persecutest thou me 3. Thys Aungell had the keye of the bottomelesse pet or power ouer hell and a greate chayne in hys hande or full libertie to restrayne the spirituall aduersarie For vnto him was geuen all power in heauen and in earth 4 Authoritie had he to destroye him that had rule ouer death which was than the Diuell Though I was dead sayth Christ yet am I now a lyue 〈◊〉 euer and euer hauing the keyes both of death and hell 5 And accordinge to his authoritys sayth saynt Iohn he toke the fierce Dragon in hande that was wonte so maliciously to noy that olde wily serpent that of so long tyme hath wyth infinite craftes deceiued which is the very diuell himselfe or malicious accuser of man and is called Sathan or the cruell aduersarye as he is moste worthy For both is he a spightfull aduersarie to God euermore withstaÌ„ding his will also vnto man in plucking him backe froÌ„ folowing the same 6 Lyke a most valiaunt captain fell he vpoÌ„ that stronge armed house watcher ouercame him depriuing hym both of weapon and spoyle He layed a snare for the outragious Behemoth and caught him He ringed the nose of the greate Leuiathan and so brought him vnder Yea he bounde that malicious sathan and made him sure for a thousande yeares space to make of the vessels of wrath the vessels of mercy This did he by his stronge worde of couenaunte whome he made for a thousand generations And a full perfourmaunce it is of Gods first promise for mannes behoue that Christ should tread downe the head of the serpent For a thousande yeares was this restraynte Marke besides the misterie the tyme from the ascention of Christ vnto the dayes of Siluester the second Bishop of Rome of that name and ye shall all finde that it was froÌ„ Christes natiuitie a complete thousande after all the Historiographers By such Nicromancy as he learned of a Sarazin in Spayne obtayned he the papacy as witnesseth Iohn Wycleaue in his booke De solutioÌ„e sathane in Christes vicarship he lowsoned that diuell whoÌ„ Christ had afore shut vp and sett him againe at large to deceiue a freshe CoÌ„sider for the tyme that hée was thus bound the constaunt saith of the christians and the inuincible heartes of thyr martyrs and ye shall finde them farre different from them which hath bene since He was then so weake so infatuate and babysh that not onely wyse men learned men and stronge men dyd set him lyghte but also yong maydens chyldren and tender infantes in a maner did laugh him to scorn set all his subttle slaights at nought Euidente wyll this bee to all them that shall read the liues of the holye martirs sainctes of the primatiue church Lyke a byrde was that croked Leuiathan in those dayes so tamed that no man set by him at all 7 For not onely was he then bound but also throwen downe with violeÌ„ce into the bottomelesse pytte For that tyme might they go safe vpon the adder and scorpion they might tread vnder their féete both the Lyon and Dragon Both the Diuell and his Angels might they then set at nought 8 Yea he was shutte vp and so was double bounde So was his power taken from him that vpon neither side could he harme Neyther was he able to plucke them from Christes fayeth by flatteringe prosperitie nor yet by vrgent aduersitie Neither could tyraÌ„nies nor herisies for that time preuail agaynst the Gospell 9 Fynally he set a sure seale vpoÌ„ him which was his word will and commauÌ„demeÌ„t that he should no more of his own presumption deceiue the people with errours Idole worshipings that beleued in him or that were predestinat to be saued till such time as the afore sayd thousaÌ„d yeres wer fully acoÌ„plished or as he shoulde permit him thervnto for their vnbeleues sake 10 By thys doth the holy Ghost here assartayne vs that Christ hath so suspended the subtilties and suppressed the venemouse craftes of Sathan for his electes that he can not hurt them in one heire of their head For onely is all this spoken for the chosen number No part hath therein the reprobate vessels neuer was the Diuell from theÌ„ yet speared bat hath bene in all ages with theÌ„ famyliar Onely are the consciences of the rightuous by thys fréedome quieted all other still left in captiuitie This reuelation respecteth in this poynt the inwarde kingedom of Christ or the hidden congregation of the faithfull whom the worlde beholdeth with froward eyes and not the blasynge Sinagoge of Antichrist whom it laugheth vpon so freshly 11 None otherwyse were they for all those thousand yeares vexed of SathaÌ„ and his curssed members but as was pacient Iob in their outwarde substaunce bodies No power had he vpon their soules all that longe season 12 And where as it is here sayed that after these thousand yeares Sathan must be let lose agayne for a certayne teme Consider it to be the promise of God which must in effect be fulfilled Not that he shall agayne lose him which hath once bound him for euer vut that he shall permit other to doe it according to his threatning promise the vnthankefulnesse and mallyce of wicked doers requiring none other In the end of these thousand yeares raigned in the papacy at Rome
but all other godly ministers of the word also which haue don the same euer since Onely reygneth the true Christian churche by the worde of God by the sincere scriptures by the doctrine of the Apostles and neyther supersticions nor ceremonies neither by councelles or customes by doctours nor fathers by miters nor rochetes by tippets nor hoods by shaueÌ„ crownes nor side gowns by crosses nor copes by belles nor torches by shrines nor gilte Images nor yet by xij couples in a liuerie with golden chaines and garded coates Hir bewtie consisteth onely in faith and in the obseruation of Gods holy commaundements Hir true ministers or preachers as very chosen stars sheweth foorth his glorie to the edification of other and not their owne Pompe and magnificence 5 And shée was as is the woman with chylde Shée cryed traueyling in byrth and was payned as one readie to be deliuered With Christ is the church bigge wheÌ„ hir members are in full faith In the harte is he euermore conceiued deliuered foorth suche time as he is declared vnto other For this cause Christ called them his mother which haâ— faith and therevpon did the will of his father Of faith in the first promise that Christ should distroy the serpent was hée first conceiued in Adam and Eua and so grewe foorth in rightuous Abell in Seth Enos Enoche Noe Sem Thare Melchisedech Abraham and Loth. And as the promises waxed stroÌ„ger as in Abraham Moyses Dauid and the Prophets and the people of God more in number so waxed the woman bigger bigger til the fulnesse of hir time was come that she shuld be deliuered Which was suche tyme as Christ appeared to the world taught and was coÌ„uersaunt here among meÌ„ And this course hath shée kept euer since shall doe to the latter day in theÌ„ 〈◊〉 beléeue Thus hath shée had Christ in hir wombe since the beginning 6 And being full of hys heauenly spirit shée hath cryed in the Patriarks and Prophetes in the Apostles and faithfull ministers as one traueiling in byrâ—h Hyr crye was the mightie and stronge declaration of Christes doctrine the feruent zeale desire of the glorie of God of all mens health in Christ. Shée traueileth euer more a new lyke as did Paule tyll Christ be fashioned in hir christian meÌ„bers With all hyr strength shée laboureth that the promised séede may encrease in the faith of all men 7 Fynally shée is payned with labours dolors blasphemies troubles and terrible persecutions and neuer is deliuered without them Neuer is Christ earnestly receyued til some of hir members doeth suffer The coÌ„stant spirite inuincible standyng by the trueth in them hath conuerted many And lyke as the payned woman in all hir agonies is muche comforted by the hope of a childe so are Gods faithfull witnesses trustyng that by their pacient and glad sufferaunce Christ should bée receyued rightly fashioned in many Yea this causeth them to reioyce in all aduersitie and litle to estéeme their paines THE TEXT 1 And there appeared an other vvonder in heauen 2. for behold a greater red Dragon 3. hauyng seuen heades 4. and ten horns 5. and seuen crovvns vpon his head 6. and his tayle drue the third parte of the starres 7. and cast them to the earth The Paraphrase 1 After this sayeth Saint Iohn appeared in heauen an other token or meruaile all dyuers from the fyrst The true church which is gods kingdome was neuer yet without contradiction nor without the craftie assaultes of enimies Adam was not so soone created but he was immediately assaulted of Sathan Christ entered not so soone the worlde but hée was by and by persecuted The diuill goeth about lyke a roaring Lyon séeking whom he may deuoure 2 For behold there was séene a great red Dragon betokening the saide diuill with his whole retinue full of deceite crafte mallice poyson pryde and fiercenesse to enforce the poore weaklings to consent vnto his falsehood All red his bodie séemed in tokeÌ„ that they which are of hym are all full of crueltie spight bloude sheading afflicting the constant beléeuers for withstanding hys assaultes Seldom is he out of the earth as winesseth Iob but commonly in the company of men impugnyng the faythfull And no power is able to matche him vnlesse it commeth from aboue 3 The sayd Dragon had vij heads signifying all the craftie wyles and subtile suggestions that he hath practised and vsed against Christ and hys word vnder all the vij seales opening and the vij trumpettes blowing Uerie easie it is to coniecture what maner of heades they were marking other places of the scripture A serpeÌ„ts head should séeme to be the first considering that in the Serpent he deceyued our first parents with hys venymed craftes This head so maliciously poysoned man that God repented him of his creation and distroied hys whole kinde in the floud .viij. persoÌ„s only reserued After the floud had hée the head of a calfe for the seconde in signification of the shamefull Idolatrie and wicked worshippyng that then begon in Nemroth and so continued in the Heathen The third was the head of a Lyon full of pryde and oppression expressed first in the cruell reigne of the Assirians Caldeanes and after in the proude Bishoppes and priestes The fourth was a Beares head full of rauine and cruelnesse betokenig the fierce kingdom of Meades and Persianes CoÌ„sequeÌ„tly his fift head was lyke a Leopards head of many colours full of ficklenesse and chaungeablenesse And that was the vncoÌ„stant raign of the Greeks His sixt was the head of a beast farre vnlyke all other beastes which signifieth the kingdome of the Romans with their monstrous lawes more then néedeth The seuenth is not vnlyke to a mans heade including all carnall wisedome with all diuilyshe polices craftes this is the very papacie here in Europa which is the general Antichrist of all the whole world almost which hath alreadie subdued and distroyed the Empyre of Rome For he is called the Apostata man of sinne By this only head is the Dragon named the enuious maÌ„ The whole bodie foloweth the heads As the diuill is malicious wicked fierce cruel tyrannicall false execrable and deceitfull so are all his meÌ„bers In the prudeÌ„ce of the flesh after him they walk in Idolatrie hipocrisie all other filthinesse And like as afore Christes comming these heads were in the serpeÌ„t in the golden calues in the kingdome of Babilon in Nemroth in Pharao in Antiochus in the Pharisies scribes bishops Lawyers priestes so haue they bene since his time vnder the vij seales opening and the vij trumpets blowing after the same sort Under the first he had a serpeÌ„ts head in the Iewes most maliciously and subtilly withstanding Christ his Apostles preteÌ„ding the zeale of God his lawes Under the second he had a calues head in the Idolators which slew the constant witnesses of Christes veritie Under the third the head of a proude Lyon in
abhominations of this whorish church till the words and promises of God by his Apostles and Prophets which can neuer fayle be wholly fulfilled in effecte and till his last iudgemeÌ„t doe finish all But thus doe not all they which haue done of the yoke of the Popes obedyence or blotted out his name For the greater number of them retaineth still the blasphemous obseruacions cerimonies of hys Romish relygyon some making new lawes of deth for the establishmeÌ„t of the same as is in England the acte of the .vj. Articles with diuers other more And for this remayneth here stil the beast as receiuing the rendred kingdome of the whore In whom is also comprehended the wicked remnant that shal worke the last mischiefe whom the Lorde shall ende with his saide iudgement This beast is not without his liuely Image still working the same féetes that him selfe wrought afore though his head be greuouslye wounded in diuers quarters of the world Neyther is he without craftye phisitions to minister life to the same Who euer forswore the Pope more ernestly than did Stokislye and Samson Gardyner and Tunstall Wylson and fryer Wattes with such other holy prelats yet labour they toth and nayle to haue BabiloÌ„ stil BabiloÌ„ Sodome Sodom and Egipt Egipt But maruail not of the ordinance of the Lord which all at on time prouyded Moyses to guide his people yet hardened Pharao against theÌ„ which sent his sonne Iesus Christ to saue them and yet suffered the pristes to murther him considering he is the potter which maketh both the vessels of honouer and dishonour 31 Brifly to conclud the whole of thys matter saith the angel the gorious aparreled woman or glittering church of Antichrist which thou sawest here of late in mistery is also in receÌ„blance the great citty BabiloÌ„ the mother of al the spiritual abhominacions Idolatries don vpon the earth For like as froÌ„ Sion hath the laue coÌ„men forth the word of god from HieruseleÌ„ so hath isswâ—d forth froÌ„ this Babilonish Rome such a false religioÌ„ into Emperours princes peoples as with filthy superstitions hath poysoned all the world 14 For a kingdoÌ„ she hath ouer the kings or noble gouernours of the earth a false power a vsurped authority a seat of very pestelence Alas for pitty that so worthy potentates shoulde bée in subiection to so stinking an whore to so vyle an harlot being so the seruaunts of sinne and captiue slaues to all wickednesse from the whiche the Lorde once deliuer them Amen Thus endeth the second part The Contentes of the seconde parte THe xj Chap. beginneth wherin Iohn measureth the Temple the Aulter and them that worship therein The .ij. witnesses doe their appointed offices the beast making warre against them and sleying them A great Earthquake followeth and the second woe is past The xij Chapter beginneth wherin the seuenth Angell bloweth his trompet In heaueÌ„ appeareth a woman all cloathed with the sun whom the Dragon diuersly vexeth Mychaell fighteth with the Dragon and ouercommeth him The woman flyeth into the wildernesse and there is preserued The xiij Chapter beginneth wherin a beast ryseth out of the sea with seuen heades and ten hornes receyuing authority of the Dragon One of his heades is wounded and healed agayne An other beast commeth out of the earth with .ii. hornes which deceiueth the earthly dwellers and raiseth vp an Image like vnto the beast In the ende is counted the number of the beast The .xiiij. Chapter beginneth wherin the Lambe standeth vpoÌ„ the mount Sion and the vndefiled congregacion with him An Angell sheweth the euerlasting Gospel an other declareth the fal of the great whore An other is commauÌ„ded with his sikle to cut down the grapes of the vineyard The .xv. Chap. beginneth wherein Iohn séeth the seuen Angels hauing the seuen last plages of the wrath of God On the glassy sea standeth men hauing the harpes of God they sing the song of Moyses and the songe of the lambe The tabernacle of testymony is séene in heauen The .xvi. Chapter beginneth where in the seuen Angels power out theyr vials of gods wrath The first vpon the earth The secoÌ„d vpoÌ„ the sea The third vpon the riuers The fourth vpon the suÌ„n The fift vpon the seat of the beast The vj. vpon the great floud Euphrates And the seuenth into the ayre The xvij Chapter beginneth wherin an Angell sheweth vnto Iohn the iudgement of the great whore which sitteth vpon the beast Hée discrybeth both hir and the beast at large Finally he sheweth the meaning both of hys heades and hornes with other great mysteries more The poore persecuted church of christ or immaculate spouse of the Lambe Apoca. 12. The DragoÌ„ was wroth with the woman which fled into the wildernesse and went and made warre with the remnaunt of hir séede which kept the commaundement of god and haue the testimone of Iesus Christ. The proude painted Church of the Pope or sinfull Sinagoge of Sathan Apoca. 17. I sawe woman sitte vpon a Rose coloured beast full of names of blasphemye decked with golde precious stone and pearles with whom the Kinges of the earth committed whordome and the inhabiters of the earth are dronken with the wyne of hir fornication ¶ THE THIRDE parte of the Image of both churches after the most wonderfull and heauenly reuelation of saint Iehn the Euangelist c. Compiled by Iohn Bale Apoca 1. ¶ I Ihon your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdome of pacience which is in Christe Iesu was in the I le of Pathmos for the worde of God A small Preface vnto the Christen Reader FOr so muche as this Image of both churchs or exposition vpon S. Iohns Apocalipsis seemed vnto me as it came vnto the printing to be farre to much for one volume I thought to deuide it by equall porcions into three smal bookes as I haue now done in deede Of whom the firste contayneth x. Chapter the second vii the third v. onely which maketh out the whole number of the xxii Some peraduenture wil maruel that the smaller nuÌ„ber of the chapters should comprehend so much of that commeÌ„tarie as the greater number But if they marke in the text the aboundinge of misteries euermore as the matter thereof aboundeth they will soone leaue their marueiling The nature of this reuelation is the further it goeth the more wonders it sheweth openeth vnto hym that after praier shal in faith reade it and deserne it Neuer therin are the principles well perceiued till the conclusion thervpon folowinge doth playnely with the other scriptures conferred declare them In these v. last chapters are the two churches wherevpon resteth the whole argumeÌ„t of this booke fully by all dew circumstaunces described theÌ„ turned ouer into a moste fearefull and terrible destruction vnder title of the olde whorish Babilon the other obtayning a moste glorious rayse vnder the name of the holy new Hierusalem In the xvijâ— Chapter is that execrable churche of
nor forsake hyr accustomed Idolatrie 10 Bée in certaintie therfore I wil cast hir into a bed or couch of carnall quietnesse She shal in this life haue peace in the flesh libertie in vngodlynesse obedyence of the world and power in darkenesse that shee shall swim in wanton pleasures and bath hir selfe in innocent bloud and to assist hir in the same she shall haue subiect vnto hir the scepter sweard aucthoritie and power of Prynces Lordes rulers and Magystrates that none so hardy vnder payne of death to check hir rebuke hir nor ones say against hir This pleasaunt sléeping bedde had the ten trybes of Israel vnder kinge Hieroboam Achas Sedechias and the other two vnder Iorā Ochosias and such lyke tyll they were raysed of their rest ledde captiue into Babylon Such a delectable resting cowch hath also the greater part of the world vnder Mahomet and the Romishe Pope and shal haue still til God roote them out destroy them with the breath of his mouth throw them into the fyre euerlasting 11 Let them beware therefore that as hir louers hath to doe with that execrable whore cōsenting to hir pestylent lawes and tradicions defending as godly ordinaunces laudable rytes decent orders ciuill pollycies honest vsages comely fashions holy ceremonies necessary customes and such lyke boinge in very déede most damnable supersticions 12 For them doubtlesse wil I throw into the anguish of a desperate cōscience here after this lyfe into the vnquietnesse of eternall dampnaciō The wicked shal haue peace neither here nor there Neither shall their worme dye nor theyr fyre go out vnlesse they decline from that wickednesse renounce theyr abhominacions and cōuert to the trueth whiles they are yet here liuing 13 And as touching hir supersticious children which frō their beginning hath euermore sucked out of hir venemous breastes all poyson and vngodlynesse forsaking yea and abhorring the swéete veyne of the liuinge waters then will I slay with death and condempnacion euerlasting prepared for the diuell and his angels 14 Yea and it shall then be euident and cléere to all cōgregacions in heauen vnder heauen which hath béen frō the beginning to their vtter shame and confusion that I am he frō whome nothing can be hyd They shal perceue also that I go so nigh them that I serch out the ground of the harte and try the verie reynes or inward affectes so that I knowe all theyr priuie sleightes and practises be they neuer so secrete 15 And ground you vpon this surelie I shall giue vnto euerie one of you true and false good and badde rightuous and vnrightuous accordyng to your doinges Rewardyng them with lyfe euerlasting that hath done the true workes of fayth and them with eternall dampnatiō that hath left them vndon to folow their owne inuentions THE TEXT 1. Vnto you I saye and vnto other of Thyatira as many as haue not this lerning and vvhich haue not known the deepnesse of Sathan as they say 2. I will put vpon you none other burthen 3. but that which ye haue alreadie 4. Holde fast till I come 5. And whosoeuer ouercommeth and kepeth my works vnto the end 6. to him wil I giue power ouer nations 7. and he shall rule them with a rodde of yron 8. and as the vesselles of a potter shal he break them to shiuers 9. Euen as I receiued of my father 10. so vvill I giue hym the morning starre 11. Let hym that hath eares heare vvhat the spirite sayeth to the congregations THE PARAPHRASE 1 And take this of my mouth sayth the Lord aforehande both vnto you which hath the doctryne of the spyrite and vnto other also of them that remayne at Thyatira that notable citie of the Macedonians so many as hath not groūded in them that godly learning of the truth but a trifling doctryne of theyr owne imaginations contrarie vnto it whereby they haue not perceyued the more then subtile craftes of that deceyuable sathan which euermore craftily cōpasseth to deuower what though their fantasticall brayns hath giuen them so to thinke standing much in their owne conceipt 2 My mynde is to yoke you with none other law nor to burthen you with none other traditiōs thē I haue alredy giuen you Neither with ceremonies rytes nor aūcient customs in the obseruaciō of dayes monthes times nor yeares in holy dayes fastings vigiles nor sabbates for they were but shadowes of thinges to come 3 Regard only that swéete yoke and that light burthen which ye haue receued of me Hold ye fast to the gospel of the kingdome of God so long as ye shal continue here And let the Pharysées leuen with olde wyues fables hipocrits dreames passe by 4 Let my godly ordinaunce suffise you Ad nothing vnto my woords of your owne braynes least I finde you false lyars when I shall come again to my latter iudgement and according to righteousnesse so condempne you 5 And whosoeuer is so earnestly faithfull in the word of God that he ouercōmeth ther by his own lustes and perfourmeth to the latter ende of his life the workes that are there commaūded to be done none other 6 To him will I geue power as to the sonne and heyre of god ouer nacions or sectes of the world diuers in opinion and fayth as ouer serpents scorpions adders and lyons 7 That he shall not onely ouercome them with the mighty yron rodde of the inuincible veritie 8 But also as the weake vessels of a potter or as most vayne fantasies confoūd their dreames destroy their imaginacions and bring their practises to nought prouing their tradicions to be most vyle draffe moste stinking dregges of sinn for so much as that which is not of faith is sinne 9 And this power he shall haue in no lesse efficacie and strength then I receued it of my heauenly father 10 And besydes all this I wil fréely geue him my selfe to reward which am the cléere morning starre shyninge lanterne of lyfe So that all shal be his that is myne My byrth my labours my lyfe my passion and death my resurreccion and ascenciō with all their fruites shall be his owne proper good 11 Let him that hath reason and discretiō set beastly fantasies apart and diligently note what the holie Ghost sayeth héere in this daungerous tyme to the deare congregations of God The third Chapiter THE TEXT 1 And vvryte vnto the Angel of the congregation of Sardis 2. This sayeth he that hath the seuen spirites of God 3. and the seuen starres 4. I knovv thy vvorkes 5. Thou hast a name that thou lyuest and thou arte dead 6. Wake and strength the thinges vvhich remayne 7. that are ready to dye 8. For I haue not found thy vvorks perfect before God 9. Remember therefore hovve thou hast receyued and hearde 10. and hold fast and repent 11. If thou shalt not vvatch 12. I vvil come on
the seate vvhich lyueth for euer and euer 9. The xxiiij elders fell dovvne before him that sate on the trone vvorshipped him that lyueth for euer 10. and cast their crovvnes before the trone saying 11. Thou art vvorthie Lord to receyue glorie and honour and povver 12. For thou hast created all things and for thy vvilles sake they are and vvere created THE PARAPHRASE 1 These iiij beastes hath iiij diuers exteriour similitudes which are not els but the outward tokens testimonyes and signes of faith or the fruitfull workes thereof only procéeding For fayth is neuer without hir holesome fruites The first beast was in similitude lyke vnto a Lyon strong and mightie in power And that are they which hath layde asyde the olde man of sinne with his féeble faynte workes and conuerted them selues into the ghostly image of Christ which is the mightie stronge Lyon of the Trybe of Iuda for that they myght haue the victorie ouer sinne 2 The seconde beast was fashyoned lyke vnto a Calfe much vsed in the olde lawe to bée offered vp in sacryfice And suche are they which forsaking them selues and mortifying the corrupte lustes of theyr fleshe doeth walke in a newe Christian lyfe and offer vp them selues vnto God as a lyuing sacrifice readie to suffer all kyndes of persecution and death for his names sake 3 The third beast had a face in fauour lyke a man hauing reason wit and discrecion And those are they which through pollicie of fayth and prudencie in the spirit so wysely and discretely order them selues in that they goe aboute that nothyng is against the glorie of God but al things worketh for the best in them 4 The fourth beast was lyke vnto a flying Egle which buyldeth hir neast very highe in the harde rocke stone Which are those godly persōs that liuing héere in this mortall bodie by the counsell of the holy Ghost haue their conuersation in heauen They séeke for those thinges which are aboue where as Christ is sitting on the right hand of God In whom only as in the sure rocke they buylde all their whole hope and trust By these foure similitudes is the true congregation of God knowne from the painted sinagoge and coūterfaict church of Sathan glorifiyng hir selfe in vaine glorie pompe crueltie rape simonie lyes hatred sectes murther Idolatrie sedition and tirannie with other fruites of the flesh whose God is their bellie and theyr ende dampnation And though these iiij simylitudes be diuers yet doe they respect one congregation after Ezech. which euer more applyeth all .iiij. vnto one beast And euerie one of the sayd iiij beastes had .vj. winges about him 5 The winges whereby Gods people are raysed vp vnto him is fayth hope charitie iustice mercie veritie with such other vertues as euer more accompanyeth them By these are they lifted vp vnto heauenlye thinges By these auoyde they the common mischieues of the world By these obtayne they a plentuous quyetnesse in God abyding their sauiour and redéemer Iesus Christ. And wher as in Ezechiell the sayd winges appearing but iiij are here founde sixe we may gather this That the gospel now published the giftes of the holy ghost are more high plentifull and open vnder christ then afore time vnder Moyses 6 Round aboute them without and within the sayde beastes were ful of eyes The seruants of the Lord hath Godly wisdome and knowledge euery where inwardly to consider heauenly things durable sure and perfite and neuer to perish Outwardly agayne to iudge earthly things corruptible wretched and vaine and shortly to be ended 7 Neither day nor night could the sayde beastes cease from the praise of their Lord God saying Holy holy holy Or blessed art thou almightye father blessed art thou almightie sonne blessed art thou almighty holy ghost distinct thrée persons in trinity and in substaunce one Lorde God almighty which was withoute beginning and is of him selfe onely and shall be for euer euer euerlasting And what is this els but that the righteous feruently eprayinge geueth continnuall thankes vnto GOD reioysinge amonge them selues in psalmes in hymnes and in spiritusonges praysinge hym euermore in their harts 8 And when those .iiij. beastes or faithfull feruent sincere and pure beleuers héere beléeuing in the flesh gaue glory honour and thanks from the iiij quartes of the earth in professing the verity in teaching it vnto other and in liuinge accordinge to the same And that vnto hym which sate on the seat which is god almighty reigning ouer that congregation which lyueth for euer and euer and hath of his kyngdome none end 9 Anone stepped forth the .xxiiij. elders or the whole perfit and vniuersall number of them which hath rested in the Lorde and they with all méekenes fel down before him which sate on the throne They submitted themselues vnto him ackowleginge him for theyr onely Lorde They worshipped him also with dew reuerance gaue high thankes vnto him as vnto their eternal liuīg god 10 Yea finally they threwe downe their crowns before the throne of his eternal maiestie They cōfessed their owne good workes merites and deseruinges to be nothyng at all But their whole health wisdome knowledge vertue holines rightuousnes and redemption to be onely of his lyberall gift and vndeserued goodnesse 11 And as men most highly reioysing they cryed vnto him saying thus It is thou O Lord God most mightie creator that is alone worthie to receyue all glory all honour and all thankes for that hath bene wrought in heauen in earth and none other els but thou 12 For thou hast alone by thy vnsercheable wisedome created all things and brought them foorth out of nothing And for the onely pleasure of thy will they are now at this present tyme in substance and fashyon and were created of thée at the beginning not onely to be at thy commaūdemēt but also to be euermore thākefull vnto thée and to laude thée and prayse thée for euer The fift Chapter THE TEXT 1 And I sawe in the right hande of him that sate on the throne a booke 2 written with in and on the back syde 3. sealed with seuen seales 4. and I sawe a strong Angell preaching with a loude voyce 5. Who is worthie to open the booke and loose the seales thereof 6. And no man in heauen nor in earth neyther vnder the earth vvas able to open the booke neyther to looke thereon 7. And I wept much bycause no man was found worthie to open to read the booke neither to looke thereon 8. And one of the elders sayd vnto me Weepe not 9. Beholde the Lyon which is of the trybe of Iuda 10 the roote of Dauid hath obtayned to open the booke and to loose the seuen seales thereof 11. And I beheld and lo in the middest of the seat and of the iiij beastes and in the middest of the elders 12. stoode a Lambe as
though he had ben killed 13 which had seuen hornes 14 and seuen eyes which are the seuen spirits of God sent vnto all the worlde 15. And hee came and tooke the booke out of the right hand of him that sate vpon the seat The Paraphrase AFter the forsayde vysion I saw saieth saint Iohn in the right hande or mighty power and wyll of hym that sate on the throne with maiestye a wonderfull Booke in the which both man and Angell were desirous to looke This booke is Gods heauenly ordinance contayning not onely all that hath bene created of God visible and inuisible but also the vniuersall contents of the holy scripture This boke hath the mercifull Lorde prouided that men should know him partly by his creatures partly by his Scriptures This booke he hath in his right hand For heauen he measureth with his spanne and the whole world he comprehendeth vnder his three â—ingers In his hande or power is the vniuersal earth bothe hills valleyes At his onely wil pleasure is the sincere vnderstanding of the scriptures and true interpretacion of the same 2 This booke is written within without The world coÌ„tayneth creatures visible and inuisible powers open hidden that men in theÌ„ should reade and vnderstand that there is a liuing God and that they should acknowledge him and worship him as the Lorde and creator of all The holy scripture hath hir figure history hir mistery and veritie hir parable plaine doctrine her night and day her letter and sence her voyce and word her flesh and spirit her shadow and cleare light her death and lyfe her law and gospell her Moyses and Christ to bring all men also vnto the knowledge of God 3 But that Booke is surely sealed with seauen stronge seales from the fleshlye vnderstanding of man not hauinge the spirite of Christ that he can neither vse the creatures of God a right nor yet perceiue the Scriptures according to their true meanning Muche hath the doctours fantasied of these seuen claspes or spearynges of thys booke wythout the aucthoritie of Gods word calling theÌ„ all maner of obscurities darkenesses Where as in verie déed they are nothing els but the strong and vnuariable decrée or set diffinition of God before the constitucion of the world that none should be able to read rightly therin nor know the iust meaning therof without the spirit of his sonne and vnles it be méekly asked in faith And this one decrée of god so oft locketh vp these heaueÌ„ly secrets froÌ„ maÌ„ as it findeth hym carnall couetous wilfull blinde malicious proude and false with such other lyke The number of seuen doeth onely respect the opening of the seales in all ages For in euery age hath God opened the trueth vnto some Godly men by his spirite with Abell and Enoch with Noe and Sem with Abraham and Iob with Moyses and Samuel with Dauid and Helias with Hieremie and Daniel with Iohn Baptist Peter 4 And I sawe sayeth S. Iohn a strong Angell which betokeneth euerie faithful minister of gods word coueting all men to be taught of god and sending them only vnto Christ for they are the Angels of the Lorde of hostes Which Angell cryed with a loude voyce with an earnest zeale of the glorie of God and with a feruent desire of his neighbours health 5 Who is worthie to opeÌ„ this booke and to vndoo the claspes thereof As though he should say None but he alone Séeke him therfore that he may open it vnto you els are yée lyke alwayes to be blynde foolishe and vnlearned lyers before the Lord séeme ye neuer so wyse eloquent and well learned in the sight of men 6 And in déede no man was founde able to doe it neyther in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth yet was there a diligent search made many did attempt it The Angels that by apostasie fell from God when they were in heauen wrought maistryes about it And in the earth héere the Philosophers among the Gentiles the religious fathers amoÌ„g the Iewes the Pharisies and Scribes the lawyers and priests and amoÌ„g the Christians the false Apostles Antichrists the Sophisters and Papists the sectes and scoole doctors with all the worldly wyse hath craftily compassed the thing Yea the messeÌ„gers of Sathan whose dampnation is certayne subtily to perswade and fraudelently to deceiue the innocent soules haue also done their parte But what hath folowed After their vayne enterpryse they haue bene so astonyed at the maiestie or sight of the booke that neyther were they able to open it nor yet to looke thervpon So high were the mysteries thereof so vnserchable the iudgements so inuestigable the wayes therevnto 7 And I fell in sore wéeping sayth Sainct Iohn muche dolour was it to my heart to see that none was found worthie no creature able neyther Angell nor man good spirit nor diuil to open and to read the booke which is cléerely to know the will of God therein nor yet once to looke therevpon that is sincerely to perceyue the least veritie coÌ„tayned therin No creature vnderstanding could attayn vnto it All were ignorant all darke all blynde 8 And as I was thus mournyng one of the elders euen Iacob by name comforted mée with his prophecie of Iuda Esay Micheas Esdras bearing witnesse to the same 9 These with other ascertained me that he was the Lyon of the Trybe of Iuda which should ouercome the world haue the victorie ouer death and hell for in déed they with Abraham sawe it a farre of and much reioysed He is the strong inuincible Lyon that subdued the prince of this world tooke from him the pray and hathe deuyded the spoyle 10 He is the verie roote of Dauid the ground and originall cause of all godly promises made vnto him of deliuerance victorie and raygne and alone in him are they fulfilled Only hath he obtayned by his death resurrection and ascension to make open the hydden mysteries of thys booke or whole ordinaunce of God and to loose the seuen seales thereof or to take away the vniuersall impediments wherby the said booke could in no case be séene as is carnalitie ignorance darkenesse blindenesse wilfulnesse couetousnesse malice hypocrisie lyes with such lyke So was it afore speared by the decrée of God that none could reade in it till he remoued the vntowardnesse from their heartes 11 All this I beheld saieth S. Iohn and as I looked further I sawe that in the midst of the seate which is the vniuersall congregation of God of the foure beasts which are the constaunt ministers of his worde also in the middest of the auncient elders whych hath bene the sincere witnesses of hys veritie since the beginning 12 There stood a fayre méeke most innocent Lambe as though he had bene newly slain I knew that Christ was this Lambe for he was wounded for
hypocrites tyrauntes and cruell maiestrates no more perceiue at that day then they now decerne those poore creatures whom they spightfully persecute and kyll to be the true Churche of CHRIST When Helias thought no more true beléeuers but hym selfe left alyue almighty God shewed him of vij thousand more whom he knew not If he were then ignoraunt muche more these fowre Angels of darknesse which now sleyeth vp God seruants as the Iewes dyd Christ. Not for nothing hath god geuen so much knowledge in the Hebrue tongue The Iewes muste be sealed with the worde of veritie They must haue the sure signe of faith They must know and confesse Christ whom god afore promised by the Prophetes that twelue thousand of euery tribe may be sealed vnto saluation For that time must the Antichrists cease Their false interpretations of scripture their wicked traditions their doctrine of deuilles their lies in hypocresie their errours their stinking chastitie whom God and his angels abhorreth and the deuill most highly alloweth with all their other filthynesse they must lay aside Where as afore time they haue immagined other waies of the health and rightuousnesse then by Christe as by infinit sectes of perdition Idol worshiping pardons and other abhominations wtout number they must now be compelled against their wil to resigne them not onely by the manifest truthe but also by those which as yet are enemies both to them and also to the sayde veritie I can not sée it but it worketh euen now as it did in the primatiue churche When the Hethen perceiued the Apostles and Disciples expulsed out of Iewry for the Gospell preachinge for the hate they had to the Iewes they gladly receiued them which was vnto their saluacion though they thought nothinge lesse Not vnlyke is it in this age but that the true prechers and learned men compelled also by tiraunts to decline to the Saracens and Turkes may in lyke maner be accepted of them in spight of the Romishe deuill and his Church and so conuerte them to the true Christen faith whiche they before abhorred Such fauour may they finde amonge them nowe as did Ioseph Daniel Hester Mardocheus Zorababel Nehemias Esâ—ras Tobias and other amonge the infidels then And lyke as the Iewish sinagoge did at that tyme wholly perish for reiecting Gods word and neuer could recouer since so may that false counterfayte churche of Antychrist come to distruction for contempnynge the same and neuer ryse vp agayne Muche is it to be feared yf they stoppe GODS woorde as they haue begunne least that plague fall on them that lyghted vppon the IEWES at the Siege of Hierusalem by the TURKE nowe or by some other worse then he For though they suffer the Byble to be abroade in the mother tongue in BRABAND HOLLANDE FLAUNDERS FRAUNCE SPAYNE ITALYE and other places yet are they styll as they were Angelles of darkenesse Tyrauntes Persecuters Antichristes and Hypocrites forbiddinge the ryght course of it And not withstandinge their violence yet breaketh it foorth so that innumerable people are dayly sealed vnto GOD. THE TEXT 1 After this I behelde and loe a great multitude vvhiche no man coulde number 2. Of all nacions and people and tongues 3. Stoode before the seate 4. And before the Lambe clothed vvith longe vvhite garmentes 5. And palmes in their handes 6. And cryed vvith aloude voyce saying 7. Saluation be ascribed to hym that sytteth vppon the seate of our GOD 8. And vnto the Lambe 9 And all the Aungelles stoode in the compasse of the Seate 10 And of the Elders and of the fovvre Beastes 11 And fell before the Seate on their faces 12. And vvorshipped GOD sayinge Amen 13 Blessynge and glorye and vvisedome and thankes and honoure and povver and might be vnto our God for euermore Amen The Paraphrase 1 After this saith sainct Iohn I behelde an exceeding multitude of the Gentiles or Heathen marked into the felowship of Christe whom no man was able to number 2 These were of all nacions of the earth of al peoples of the world and of all languages vnder heauen Gréekes Latines Hebrues Caldeans Parthyans Medes Elamites Capadocians Asianes Phrigian Egiptianes Arabianes Syrians Affricanes and Indians 3 They stoode all before the imperyall seate of God It was giuen them by the holy ghost to sée him in faith reigning in hys true church and to take hym for theyr mercyfull Lorde and father 4 They stoode also in the presence of the poore Lambe beutifully cloathed with long whyte garmentes They beléeued Christ to be theyr only sauiour and redéemer and were moste highly accepted before hym for that beléeues sake They lyued purely according to his worde did all things of a sincere conscience taking him for their only health and comfort By hym onely they trusted to haue their sinnes forgiuen wherfore they were by him iustified and restored to perfect innocencie 5 Palmes had they in their handes large and beutifull in token of victorie ouer sinne hell death the diuill which they haue through Christ. 6 And they cryed all with a loude voyce In an earnest fayth they made this strong protestacion saying 7 No merite health nor goodnesse be attributed vnto vs nor yet vnto any creature in heauen nor in earth for vs. But all our whole saluacion lyfe and deliuerance be onely ascrybed vnto hym that sitteth vpon the throne of our God reigning by hys spirite not in the false counterfayte church but in the true christian congregacion 8 And vnto the swéete Lambe Iesus Christ which alone dyed for the same For health is onely the Lordes so is the eternall blessyng and neyther of our works nor yet of our good déeds for the best of them are defiled 9 And all the Angelles or ministers of heauen compassed the throne according to their offyce They assisted the true faithfull church which is the seate of God 10 The xxiiij elders they compassed also so dyd they the .iiij. beastes For ministers they are to the saincts departed and seruaunts to them that be yet aliue 11 They fell downe flatte on theyr faces before the throne They méekely acknowledged them selues the creatures of God and seruaunts to hys congregacion 12 And they worshipped not yâ— seate but God which sate on the seat Most highly they magnified him and praysed him for restoring their lost number saying So be it euermore as we shall now desire 13 Euerlastyng prayse and glory perpetuall wisedome and thankes continuall honour and poure wyth might which can not be measured be referred vnto our eternall God of all his creatures for euer and euer yea for all that he hath wrought in them Amen THE TEXT 1 And one of the elders answered saying vnto me 2. What are these which are arayed in long white garmeÌ„ts wheÌ„ce came they 3 and I said vnto hiÌ„ 4. Lord thou vvottest 5. And he sayd vnto me 6 these are they vvhich out of
Iānes and Iambres that maliciously resisted Moyses so were Phassur and Semeias which vexed the Hrophet Hieremy Such burning hylles were Cayphas and Annas against Christe Diotrephes Herpocras Hebion and Cerinthus against Iohn the Euangelist Demetrius Bariehu Himenius and Alexander against Paule with such lyke moody prelates resistinge the truth to this present day Suche smocky mountaines of contradiction both dayly withstande Christ in the edifying of his Christen Church as rebuked Zorababel in the building of the Iewes temple 3 They sturre vp the sea they moue the weake people and make them blynd as Asses In their hate they prouoke the Princes to cruelty and malice They cause them to punishe the poore Preachers and put asyde the trueth least they should fal vnto it 4 By reason of this burning hyll fallyng into the sea the third parte of the water turned into blood the third part of the people seduced by them became hatefull murtherers Not only they accused GODS seruauntes but as bloud thirsty beastes they consented to their deathes not consyderynge that he which doth but onely hate his brother is an homicide 5 The thyrde parte of the creatures which had lyfe dyed Of those which séemed to be faithfull amonge them a great number were worse then nought Dissembling with faith they betraied the truth and wrought much wickednesse Many martirs were then euery where 6 So that the third part of the shippes were destroyed also Many Churches or pryuate congregations called parrishes for feare of loosinge their goodes and for doubt of imprisonment and death refused the faith and fell cleane from the trueth and so were perished and loste For Shippes in the scriptures betokneth them THE TEXT 1 And the third Angell blevv 2. And there fell a great Starre from Heauen 3. Burning as it vvere a Creshet 4. And it fell into the thirde parte of the Riuers and into fountaines of vvaters 5. And the name of the Sarres is called vvormvvode 6. And the thitd part of the waters vvas turned to wormevvod 7. And many men dyed for the vvaters because the vvere made bitter The Paraphrase 1 When the thirde Angel blew hys Trumpet at the third scale openinge there fell from heauen a great mighty Starre burning lyke a Creshet 2 As the preachers of that time opened the trueth of god many great doctors and excellent learned men as Arius Macedonius Cutices Ualens and such other declined from the sincere faith and fell to blasphemous opinions concerning the Godhead 3 These séemed gloryous to the earthly minded people they appeared notable and famous to the blind forsaken sort yet was their learninge madnesse and their doctrine fables and lyes But this is here to be noted that they which are true techers remaine still in heauen they perseuer in the christen church where as the other are fallen cleane frō thēc◠by apostasie and errours so that they are none of Christes 4 This starre fell into the thirde parte of the ryuers whiche are the scriptures peruerted and into the fountaynes of waters whiche are Gods owne very wordes depraued These haue the false doctours yea pernicious heritikes infected with their errours corrupted with their lyes and with theyr false interpretations made them bitter and vnsauerye 5 For the name of the starre was wormewoode whose nature is to withdraw all swéetenesse These with their bitter heresies and their noysome doctrine destroyed the pits of Abraham they troubled the Text they mixed the truth with falshod they poysoned the waters they tooke away the louesomnesse of them they left them vnpure and vnperfite not that they can be so of thē selues but of their false workinge they made them vnpleasant vnprofitable yea and most perylous vnto many 6 For it followeth When the third parte of the waters whiche are the scriptures corrupted by them was turned into woormwoode or bitternesse of errours 7 Many men dyed of them They perished by those doctrines bicause they were made bitter Yet were not all men cast away for two parts were left vndefyled and many that dronke the poysoned waters enometed them againe Onely were they lost that retayned thē styll The pure waters are héere doubled vnto the waters infected For double in value is the verytie before GOD and the true minister therof worthy double honour where as the other are nothing at all THE TEXT 1 And the fourth Angell blew 2. And the third part of the Sunne vvas smitten the thirde parte of the Moone the third parte of the Starres 3 So that the thirde part of them was darkened 4. And the day was smitten 5. That the thirde parte of it shoulde not shine and lykewise the night 6. And I beheld and heard an angell flying through the midst of heauen 7. And saying with aloude voyce 8. Wo wo wo to the dwellers of the earth 9. Because of the voices to come of the Trompetes of the three Angels which were yet to blow The Paraphrase 1 At the fourth Seale opening the fourth Angell stoode forth and blew his Trumpet Neuer was the time yet so perylous but some trewe preachers hath bin in it Were there neuer so many herisies abroad yet haue there reigned some godlye ministers what though they were vnknowne to the worlde Many sincere fathers were in the desert wildernes when most mischief was in doynge amonge the cruel tiraunts which priuyly resortinge to Cities taught them whom God had appointed to be saued Of this number was Paulus Antonius Hilarion Macharius Pambo Theonas Effrem suche lyke And longe since their time Anastasius Persa Theophilactus Fulgencius Beda Alcuinus Strabus and such other many Not with standinge all that they taught and wrot was not gospell All was not without superstition though they lyued in much purenesse of lyfe 1 These blew the Trumpet as they had receiued that time But the false Hipocrites and the Antichristes so preuayled more and more vnder Mahomet and the romish pope that 〈◊〉 Christianitie and spirituall holynesse was turned into supersticious sects None was well christened that had not a moonkish disguising None was thought spirituall vnlesse he were shauen on the crown Then brought thei in many new waies of saluatiō to proue Christ but a second Sauyour as pardons pilgrimages Masses and fryday fastings Then was god able to helpe no disease but images were sought vp euery where saincte Iob for the pox Saint Roke for the pestilence sainct Germine for the ague saint Appolyne for the tooth ake sainct Graciane for thrift losinge and sainct Barbara for gonnshote That Lady in that place and that Lady in that This Roode héere and that Roode there And he that dyd miracles héere coulde doe nothinge there Thus was all chaunged into diuilishnesse and their preachers for lucre confyrmed alwayes the same whiche were many more in number then were the true messengers of God 2 In this most corrupted
and dolorus age the fourth Angell blowinge his trumpet the poore forsaken disciples shewing the trueth the thirde parte of the sunne was smitten so was the thirde parte of the Moone also the thirde part of the stars Good creatures they found the third part of Gods heauenly word sore blemished by the hypocrites the Christen Churche piteously disfigured by the antichrists and the inferioure ministers thereof darkned by Tyraunts and cruell magistrates 3 By their wicked strocke the light of GODS verytie was hydden and appeared lesse by the thirde part then it was afore Lesse was Christ the sonne of rightuousenesse knowen lesse was the Christen Church faithfull and lesse were the preachers godly More ignorant was at the time then afore more supersticion hipocrisie and falshod wherfore the third parte of them all was darkned 4 At that time also by reason of them the day was so smitten that the thirde parte thereof shewed no clearenesse and so was the night lykewise 5 In no case might Christe shine in the Curates and religious which â—ooke themselues for the day nor yet Christen fruits in the common people whiche were estéemed the night Onely were their will works alowed and their dyrty traditions thought godly The true trumpet blowers or ministers of the word were then compelled by cruell coÌ„mauÌ„dements the â—oÌ„mons by cruell lawes enforced in â—o case to medle with the truth least their â—bhominable doynges were espyed In this therefore marke what a detestable thinge false doctrine of hypocrites is for it bringeth in all darknesse an ignoraunt blindnesse and it shadoweth vnder pretence of vertue all wickednesse and sinne 6 And then saith saint Iohn I behelde an Angell flyinge through the middes of heauen as it had bin an Eagle which betokeneth certaine peculiar seruauntes of GOD illumined with some knowledge and leaâ—ing an high conuersation in the church Such were Ioachim Abbas Cirillus of Carme Angelus of Hierusalem Theolespherus of Cusencia Raynhardus and other And since their time Petrus Iohannis Robertus de vsecio Iohannis de rupescissa Arnoldus de villa noua Hieronimus Sauonarola with suche lyke 7 These perceiuing the light of Gods veritie and the true teachers therof dayly deminishinge considering also the mighty increase of darknesse with a lowde voyce they cryed earnest writings they seÌ„t the world ouer vnder the title of reuelation and prophecie 8 Saying by the threatninges of scripture wo wo wo to the inhabitours of the earth More wickednesse is comming more blindnes and more darknesse to the vngodly infydels and earthly minded people It will stylll be worse and worse to the foolish ignoraunt sorte through the errours lyes and abhominable superstitions of the false Antychristes and cruell Chaplaynes of Baal 9 And this rebuking crye was because of the voyces of the other thrée Aungels were yet to blowe with the Trumpet whose blastes they shoulde also more déepely contemne By prophesies scriptures hath many godly men perceiued afore hande with Paule the fall of faith the increase of errours and that diuers shoulde decline from the truth and earnestly they haue premonished the gouernours of it Yet haue they neglected the warning and vtterly dispised them for it leadinge the People into the depth of all errours and filthy abhominations The .ix. Chapter THE TEXT 1 And the fifte Angell blew 2. And I sawe a Starre fall from Heauen vnto the earth 3. And to hym vvas geuen the key of the bottomlesse pit 4. And he opened the bottomlesse pyte 5. And there arose a smoke of the pytte as it were the smoke of a furnace 6 And the sunne and the Ayre vvere darkened by the reason of the smoke of the pyt 7. And there came out of the smoke Locustes vppon the earth 8 And vnto them vvas geuen povver 9. As the Scorpions of the earth haue povver The Paraphrase THe fift Angell which blew his trumpet vnder the fift seale openyng of the Lambe were they which had the worde of God for that age of Christes Church and that published it to his electes And these doeth not onely séeme to bée fewe in number but also they appear to haue taught priuily in priuate congregacions and houses 2 For wheÌ„ this trumpet was blowen Iohn beheld a starre fallen downe cleane from heauen into the earthe no parte thereof reserued neyther of the starre in heauen representing the spirituall church nor yet of the earth from the starre betokening the worldly people Neyther were the spiritualtie of Christes church nor yet the laytie cléere from their poysons anye where This glittering starre or shyning multitude of prelates pastours and religious fathers were fallen away from the doctryne of the spyrite from the liuing word of the Lord and from the right conuersacioÌ„ of Christ into the earthe of their owne decrées and lawes nothing sauouring but carnall tradicions dumme dark ceremonies and doctryne of diuilles fashioning their lyues all after the same Then soughte they vp Plato Aueroys and Auicenne Then was Aristotle thought necessarie to interprete the scriptures Then was there an infinite rable of Sophisters schoole doctours of reals and nominalles of sentencioners and summistes of collyginers and Canonystes of Scotistes Thomistes Olcamystes Alberstystes Baconystes Anconistes And euerye man thought hys owne wysedome best which God hath proued starke foolishenesse all and moste ydiotishe dottage When the blynde world supposed they had the truth by this fallen starre they had nothyng lesse Under the fifte seale openyng this darkenesse was not séene but the sixte now discloseth all Onely the slayn sorte complayned that tyme desiryng theyr bloud to be reuenged where as an answer was made them that many more yet should bée kylled to fulfill theyr number And it was proued true For none in those dayes once hyssed agaynst them but suffered death for it Yea of Emperours and kings that offended them some were accurssed some deposed some slaine some poysoned Neyther spared they power nor yet noble blud In EnglaÌ„d héer they slew King Herolde poysoned King Iohn and famished King Richard the ij by their own historyes they burned sir Roger ActoÌ„ knight sir Iohn Oldecastel the Lord Cobham sir Raynolde pecock byshop of Chychester they imprisoned to death besides an infinite number of poore simple soules no lawful cause known but lyes of their owne forging Yea and the articles that they dyed for than they affirme nowe to bée good But no maruayle though they dyd suche myschiefe in those dayes 3 For to the starre was giuen the key of the bottomlesse pitte After they were fallen from the wisedome of God to the corrupt dreams of men folowyng rather the creatures then the maker of them hée gaue them ouer vnto theyr owne imaginacions and fantasies 4 TheÌ„ had they poure in darknesse by their carnall beastly and diuilishe diuinitie to open the well of dampnacion For what is the wisedome of
then halfe deade yea is not to bée feared that for doubt of punishment and losse of their goods they looke backe agayne towarde Sodome with Lots wyfe consenting to theyr abhominations Let them not think that so doeth but a double plague foloweth them More worthie is he to perish the throweth him self willingly into a perell knowing it afore theÌ„ he which neuer knew it 14 Neyther repented they sayeth Sainct Iohn of their murther theyr witchcraft their whordom nor their â—â—eft They sée of their owne congregation in pouertie penurie prisoÌ„ and exile they know it is for none other then the testimony of Iesu. Yet haue they no mynde to help them No courage haue they to comfort theÌ„ They dare not be acknowne to fauour that sorte When any trouble commeth they are none of them They are wel contented to haue Christ in daliauÌ„ce but if he put them once to payne or aske ought of them theÌ„ bid they him adue they can no skill of him they know him not the farther of the better Thus are they become neyther hote nor cold ready to be spewed out of the mouth of God None other are they then murtherers that succoure not their brethren Worse are they then infidels that helpeth not the houshold of faith The witchcrafts of the hipocrits they know by the euideÌ„t scriptures yet will they not flée froÌ„ theÌ„ 15 They know the open whordom of the babilonicall struÌ„pet they know hir theft and robbery euermore spoiling God of his honour yet wil they râ—nne to it séeke it and take parte of it with the vnfaithfull What is hée â—ls that runneth wyth a théefe but a théefe also Alacke they treade vnder their feete the precious gift of God Lyke vnprofitable seruauntes they hyde his godly treasure vnderneth the grounde And lyke vnreasonable dogges they turne agayne to theyr vomete The heauenly father of his eternall mercy graunt such to amend For a much greater plague abideth them than the other thought it be not here named For many stripes are due to that seruant which knoweth his Lordes will and doeth it not yea to sinne against knowledge is against the holy ghost irremissible The tenth Chapter THE TEXT 1 And I sawe an other mightie Angel 2. come dovvn from heauen 3. clothed vvith a cloude 4. and the Raynbovv vpon his head 5. And his face as it vvere the sun 6. and his feete as it vvere pillers of fyre 7. And he had in his hande a little booke open 8. And hee put his ryght foote vpon the Sea and hys lefte foote on the earth 9. And cryed vvith a loude voyce as vvhen a Lyon roareth 10. And vvhen hee had cryed seuen thunders spake their uoyces And vvheÌ„ the vij thuÌ„ders had spoken theyr voyces 12. I vvas aboute to vvright And I hearde a voyce from heauen saying vnto mee 13. Seale vp these thinges vvhich the seuen thunders spake 14. And vvryte them not The Paraphrase 1 IN the middest of this moste vengeable tyme wherin the Antichristes hipocrites most fiercely sturreth about them 〈◊〉 vexe all the worlde with theyr â—erie blastes theyr filthie smoke â—nd theyr stinking brymstone to restore agayn theyr pleasaunt Euphrates the Lorde hath sent to the comfort of his certaine peculiar and chosen learned men moste constantlye to defende his veritie And then this present reuelation compareth to a strong Angell 1 I sawe saith sainct Iohn an other mightie strong Angell come downe from heauen With a stoute power came thys Aungell from God to withstand the furious beastes in thys sixt age of Christes church wherein they rage so sore God hathe raysed some godly persons now by whome many things are opened that afore tyme were hidde accept it were to a fewe poore soules in corners CoÌ„stant are these and earnest yea inuincible warriours by the word of God For who can bée more strong then they which fiâ—ht with an inuincible weapon Which is the veritie of God That valiaunt coÌ„querour hath victorie in them which promised to giue them such mouth and wisedom as all enimyes should not bée able to resist 2 This Angell or ministers signified by him descende downe from heauen with Christ their maister as messengers sent of God The Apostates and Antichristes falleth down from heauen with theyr Captayne Lucifer lyke starres of darkenesse And as wicked séede not planted of God they ryse vp in the world 3 This Angell was cloathed with a cloude betokening these godly supporters of the Lords truth to be compassed with many harde showers and troublous crosses of opprobrious rebukes scornes slaunders lies and open blasphemyes to the vttermoste tryall of their weake fleshe And this cloude hideth from the world all that is in them spirituall and godly lyke as it did in Christ that to many they séeme not that they are in déed Bicause they are dispysed of the craftie generation and euill spoken of by the hypocrites the simple Idiotes and deceyued multitude doth iudge them ill doers yea they suppose them very heretiques and so doeth spyghtfullye call them Where as in verie déede they are the Angels of God and most high chosen messengers The Apostles thus vsed also of the world were named cloudes of Esay the Prophet verie long before they preached the Gospell What are these sayth he that flyeth lyke cloudes These were and are they that euery where poureth downe the sweete dewe rayne of the mysteries of God and seasonably moysteneth the grounde of faythfull heartes causing them to bryng foorth their fruites in due season 4 Upon the head of this Angel was the Rainebow And in thys are they noted to be the Angels of the couenaunt and the messengers of peace For so much as the Raynebow was the signe of Gods couenaunt concerning the floud Theyr message is that Christ is the only sauiour of the world and that none can perish beleeuing in him No dampnation is there to them which are in Christ Iesu. No though they neuer knowe one ceremony or popish constitution of theirs Though they neuer heare Masse nor goe procession though they neuer be greased shauen nor disguised though they neuer haue Beades Latine Primers portifolyomes nor other signes of hipocrisie yet are they promysed to haue attonemente with God Most rightly hath this Angell the raynebow on hys head for all the study practise and dilligence of the faithfull ministers is to declare the frée mercy of God and most friendly beneuolence in Christe withoute any pointe or iote of mens deseruinges least they shoulde perishe with the Pharysy for trustinge in their owne workes 5 The face of this Angell was as the bright sun Their outward shew is altogether Christe whiche is the sonne of ryghtuousnesse None other lyght shew they but hys None other doctrine declare they but hys holy Gospell neyther decrées nor decretals fathers constitutions nor Sinodals But them they leaue to the darke bloddy starres which
wryte them Register the thunders but not the voyces Note the figures but vtter not the misteries till God appoynt it It is not for all men to know the times which God hath in his power Many secret thinges hearde Paule which was lawfull for no man to vtter The outwarde sounde of Gods secrets may be heard of all men but the inward workinge is reserued to the spirit The Lorde alwaies with the holy ghost so informeth them inwardly that they perceiue the effect of many thinges the other heareth but a noyse For so much as the voice of gods thundrings is vnsearchable and his secret iudgementes the most mighty depth they are not open but to such as he electeth 14 Therfore was Iohn commanded in no case to writ them or to open the secret meaning of them That point the Lord reserueth peculyerly to him selfe to open to whom what or how much him lusteth Much wide ar thâ—â— which thinketh that they can of their owne wit and industry declare such causes vnles God openeth them by his worde or some euident signe as he hath done in this age most plentuously to many Lesse can we not gather of these thunders wheÌ„ the message of God is dispised abused forsaken neclected troden vnder foote 〈◊〉 damnable lyes preferred vnto it thaâ— that his wrath must folow Somewhat hath bene séene already much more wil appeere wheÌ„ they geue ful 〈◊〉 THE TEXT 1 And the Angel which I saw stand vpoÌ„ the sea vpoÌ„ the earth 2. Lyft vp his hande to heauen 3. And swore by hym that liueth for euermore 4. Which created heauen and the things that therin are 5. And the earth and the thinges that are in it 〈◊〉 And the sea and the thinges which are therin 7. That there shal be no more time but in the dayes of the voyce of the seauenth Angell 8. When he shall begin to blow 9. Euen the misterie of God shall be finished 10. As he preached by his seruantes the Prophets The Paraphrase 1 And the Angell saieth Saincte Iohn whom I saw in this wonderfull reuelation thus standynge with one foote vppon the sea an other vppon the lande after the sorte afore named 2 Lyft vp his hand towardes heauen so stroÌ„gly to affirme hys message to be true as the Lorde lyueth and to promise it so in fallibly iust as god siteth in heauen 3 What do the true preachers els in this age but maintaine their doctrine by the mighty word of God after the example of Christ and his Apostles which alleged the lawe prophecies and Psalmes to confirme their sayings with They neither alledge decrée nor decretall constitution nor Synodall Legende nor fable monks rule nor saintes lyfe doctors nor fathers Gregory nor Anselme Thomas nor Dons Plato nor Arystotle nor such lyke filthy dregs But they come to the verye true touchestoane with Iohn they proue the spirits whether they be of God or no coÌ„sidering that all men are lyers and haue erred one except 4 He sware by him that lyueth in himselfe with incomprehencible magesty power and glory for euermore which in the beginning created the heaueÌ„ aboue with the inuisible things that are therin contained 5 Which formed the poÌ„derous earth beneth and the visible creatures that are therin remaining 6 Which fashioned the flowing seas and the corruptible thinges that are there in continuinge 7 With an earnest constant spirite he protested and by the strong worde of God he affirmed so taking hym to witnesse that there shall be no more time no more leasure no more sinful occuping héere froÌ„ henceforth but in the dayes of the voyce of the seauenth Angell This othe is none other than a sure assercion that all shall be finished in this seauenth age of the church This wold not be hidden from the congregations Necessary it is that both good and badde knew it The faithfull to be assartened that their finall redemption is at hande to their consolation The vnfaithfull to haue knowledge that their iudgemente is not farre of that they may repent and be saued Not vnlyke is this othe to the othe in Daniell of time times and halfe a time whereof the time was from him to Christe The times were the ages from Christ to the seauenth seale opening or the seauenth trumpet blowing The halfe time from thence forth wherin the dayes shall be shortned for the chosen sake So much mischief shal not the enimies dâ— thaÌ„ Their tiranny shall be as waged 8 For when the vii Angel shall begin to blow or the ministers of that age sincerely declare the word 9 Euen the mistery of God shall be finished and the full meaning therof fulfilled 10 Like as he afore time both taught and promised by his peculyer chosen seruants the prophets No time shal be after this but that which will be of all times the ende But when that time shall begin we know not tyll God shall open it by his seuenth angel Of the thing we are certaine and sure but the time of it is euermore in gods hande That is sealed vp in the booke til he shal please to open it the rightuous shall not sée til it coÌ„meth but rest stil in their lot w e Daniell And the vngodly shal haue no vnderstanding then They shall builde and plant bye sel ryot banket as in the daies of Noe Loth yea they shall geue themselues to al filthy lustes couetuousnes And vnbewares shall death come vpon them the terrible iudge shal cal them to accoumpt and to the euerlasting fire condemne them thus shal their daies also be shortned when they think nothing lesse for the time shal be but halfe after Daniell THE TEXT 1 And the voyce which I harde from heauen spake vnto me againe and sayd 2. go take the litle booke which is opeÌ„ in the haÌ„d of the angel 3. vvhich staÌ„deth vpoÌ„ the sea vpoÌ„ the earth 4. And I vvent vnto the Angell and said vnto him 5. Geue me the litle booke And he said vnto me 6. Take it and eate it vp 7. And it shall make thy belly bitter But it shall be in thy mouth as svveet as hony 11. And I tooke the litle booke out of his hand and did eate it vp 10. And it vvas in my mouth as svveete as hony 11. And as soone as I had eaten it my belley vvas bitter 12. And he said vnto me 13 Thou must prophecie again vnto the people 14. And to the Heathen and Tunges and to manye Kinges The Paraphrase 1 And the voyce saieth sainct Iohn which I harde afore from heauen spake vnto me againe Gods holy spirit touched me moued me compelled me It graciously admonished me taught me and sayde thus vnto me 2 Goe thy waies foorth Iohn and take the lytle booke which is now open in the hand of the Angell Euery man hauinge grace with Iohn is héere commaunded to
worke which coÌ„tayneth the first .x. Chapters are all these godlye maâ—ters of Sainct Iohns Reuelation in course comprehended Fyrst of all is the high legacie and message of the sayde Sainct Iohn vnto the .vij. congregacions of Aâ—ta in the first Chapter mencyoned Wherin they are also vnto vij golden Candelstickes compared and their preachers vnto vij shyning starres in the right hand of Christ. In the seconde and third Chapters are the sayd vij congregacions seuerally ech one by it selfe discribed and warned to the vniuersall premonishment of the whole Christian Church in the vij partes or clymates of the worlde Marke those three Chapters diligently and ye shall perceyue that the true Christian church is alone goâ—uerned by the preaching of gods word an only office of Christ commaunded and not by dead ceremonies coÌ„maunâ— by the Pope of whom there is no specialtie Consider howe those preachers throughout all this booke are compared vnto starres and Angels their coÌ„gregacions called the right spouse of Christ. The other be assembled vnto most filthie locustes bréeding of the smoke of the pit bottomles vnto hatefull byrdes foule spirites and diuils their church called the proude Sinagoge of Sathan and the most execrable whore of Babilon In the iiij Chapter is heauen made open and the secrets therof manifested vnto the christian beléeuer whom Iohn also representeth thys whole booke ouer For not only are the mysteries therof in the vniuersall church performed but also in the particular churches of nacions and in the pryuate consciences of men In the v.vj and vij Chapters the Lambe Christ openeth the vij seales of the booke of the most hidden mysteries of God for the vij ages of the christian church In the meane season are the true seruantes of God sealed vnto saluacioÌ„ solaced in their troubles and reléeued in their sorowes notwithstanding the great violence of the truthes aduersaries In the viij and ix Chapters the vij Angels blowe their trumpettes Signifying the preachers to shewe foorth their messages appoynted of God for the vij ages of the churche many wonderfull plages folowing in the people for their vnbeléeues sake they obstinately resisting it or els vnthankefully receiuing it In the tenth Chapter commeth the mightie Angell from heauen with a booke in his hand all open and Iohn deuoureth the same Which betokeneth the earnest preachers of this latter age of the church wherein the true seruauntes of God shall gréedily receiue and also digest the scriptures Take thys for a bréefe sum of all that is spoken in the other volum the residue shall follow hereafter in course In the mergent of that first parte or volume put I many allegacions both of the scriptures and doctors And there vnto was I first prouoked by this saying of Sainct Hierome in a certayne Epistle of his ad Paulinum monachum The Apocalips of Sainct Iohn sayeth he hath so many mysteries as it hath wordes or for euerie word a mysterie whither ye will I mynded also thereby my labours to ease the readers for search of the places and to signify vnto them that I dyd nothing therin without aucthoritie And vndoubtedly the gatheryng of those places was so laborious vnto me as the making of the commentarie which neuerthelesse I thought well bestowed for the comfort of my bretheren But two cruell enimyes haue my iust labours had in that behalfe of whome the one hath them falsifyed the other blasphéemed Which hath caused me to leaue theÌ„ out in all that héere foloweth The Printers are the fyrst whose headie hast negligence and couetousnesse commonly corrupteth all bookes These haue both dysplased them and also chaunged theyr numbers to the truthes derogacion what though they had at their hands ij learned correctours which tooke all paynes possible to preserue them The other is Momus or Zoylus yea rather one whiche playeth both partes vnder the cloake of a Christian This cruell carper and malicious quarreller leaueth no mans worke vnrebuked minister it neuer so much godlinesse But lyke as rust mothes maggottes cankers catterpyllers with other vyle vermyne corrupteth all that is to the vse of man so doeth this enimy to distroy both name and worke only for the auauncement of his owne precious person His working tooles are suche vnsauerie sophismes problemes eleÌ„ches corolaries quydities subtylties seconde intentions intrincycall moods wyth other prodygious sorceryes whom he sometime sucked out of hys mothers brestes the vniuersitie These hath he not yet all as vnsauerie morselles euometed for Christ diffyning rather with Aristotle than with Paul in his dayly disputations Of this ryall Rabi is Peter iudged a foole and Iohn an vnlearned Idiote Yet shall his reader finde small learning at his hande vnlesse he take an heape of barbarous tearmes and vnsowed togither sentences for matters of excelent learning But surely Iohn will one day come from Ephesus to visite this proude Diotrephes shew him of his arrogant brags to his dyspleasure vnlesse he leaue of in tyme. All Aristotles prouision shal not help hym Sathan vpon the pynnacle of the Temple neuer bestowed his alleged scripture more peruersely than thys Momus interpreted certayne of my allegacioÌ„s nor yet farther from their right vnderstanding But I forgiue it him with this forewarning for this time thoughe it bée not the fyrst lewde poynt that he hath playd in case that â—e so leaue his quareling My second allegation vpon the Preface .1 Cor. 6 is not set there to authorise the Apocalips as he most falsly and all contrary to my meaning hath interpreted it but affirmeth that the Christian beléeuers are Christs members which ought of necessitie by the holy ghostes appointment to heare and to read the wordes of the sayde Booke For I know that the epistle vnto the Corinthians was written of Paule ten yeares at the least before Saint Iohns Apocalips No lesse is he than a false Prophet that resisteth Ieremy rebuking Babilon for hir wickednes To much it were to answere his other quarellings and to tedious vnto the christian readers and therfore I passe them ouer least I shoulde be to plenteous in aunsweringe a foole according to hys foolishnesse Thus by these cruell handelynges of these two vngratious enemies haue I iust occasion to leaue out the allegations in the margent obseruing this wholsome counsell of Christ concerning such as they be Geue not that is holy vnto Dogs nor yet that is precious vnto swine For the one of his churlish nature teareth and deuoureth the other like a swine treadeth it vnder his filthy féete The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with thée euermore good christian Reader and with all theÌ„ that séeketh of the scriptures the sauing health in them conteined withoute quarelling Amen The second part of the Image of both Churches after the most wonderfull and heauenly reuelation of Saint Iohn the Euangelist c. Compiled by Iohn Bale The .xi. Chapter VNto Iohn was deliuered after that he had thus deuoured the booke a réede not vnlyke to the mete
then ryse disprophet then profite 9 For the tenth parte of the city fell to the grounde Their buildinge vpon sand will in no case endure That God hath not planted must vp by the rootes Their holy whoryshe church which is heere called Sodom and Egipt is ruinously decaied their monasteries of monkes their houses of friers their coleges of idle priests with theyr Nuns Chanons chantryes in many places are downe Tythes are not as they haue bene nor Trentals nor other deuocions Images are not sought nor pardons in confession The people inclineth to new learning and goeth from their olde beléeue of holy church They yâ— were moÌ„ks priests friers are now become gospell teachers Such as afore were dead standeth vp now against them boldely This fallen part is heare the tenth for it is the Lords by the law It is the same shéepe that afore was loste and nowe is brought to Christes folde These were called away from thence by the witnesses the other stande yet styll and are euery daye worse and worse 10 In the earthquake were slaine names of men to the number of seueÌ„ thousaÌ„d An innumerable multitude hath ben sent out of the way by these Antichristes in their fury but yet nothinge haue they slayne but their names Onely haue they hurt their bodyes vpon their soules haue they had no power no more than had Sathan vpon the soule of Iob. Yet haue their not names perished befor god for of him are they writen in the booke of lyfe In no case are the wicked of the godly héere put to death though some do so vnderstand it but rather of the wicked the godlie For they neuer retaile their wronges but rather pray for their enimies 11 And the remnaunt or residue were feared saith saint Iohn and gaue glory to God of heauen Of such as were left in their earthquakes or terrible persecutions some remayned in pryson Some were beggered some were exiled some fled some lost their estimacion and friends and yet gaue prayse vnto God 12 In all their aduersities they gloryfied the name of their heauenly father and Lorde Thus haue we héere what is done already and what is it to come vnder this sixt trompet blowyng where vnder we are now which al belongeth to the second wo. 13 And these thinges once accomplished the second woe wyll be past And then looke by and by for the third woe for it wyll folow anone after without faile yea so soone as this second woe is done 14 In the later age of all shall this third woe raigne such time as Gog and Magog most extremly shall rage And the vninuersall iudgement shall finishe that woe as héere after more euidently wyll appeare But consider that these woes are to the infideles The faithfull feareth them not but receiuinge the worde in a pure hart they bringe forth fruite in pacient sufferaunce The xij Chapter NNw foloweth in order the seueÌ„th trumpet blowinge or the pure declaration of Christes ioyfull tydynges for the laste age of the Church vnder the seuenth seale openynge with the wounders and maruayles that there after ensueth THE TEXT 1 And the seuenth Aungell blew 2. And there were made great voyces in heauen 3. Saying The kindomes of this worlde are our Lordes and his Christes 4. And he shall rayne for euermore 5. And the xxiiii elders vvhich sate before God on their seates 6. Fell vpon their faces and worshipped God saying 7. We geue thee thankes Lorde God almighty whiche art and waste and art to come 8. For thou hast receiued thy greate might and hast raigned 9. And the nationâ— were angry 10. And thy wrath is to come 11. And the time of the dead that they should be iudged 12. And that thou shouldest geue rewarde vnto thy seruantes the Prophets and sayntes 13. And to them that feare thy name small and great 14. And shouldest distroy them which destroye the earth The Paraphrase 1 And the seauenth Angel blewe sayeth Sainct Iohn The seuenth sort of sincere prechers shall vtter their message accordinge to the will of God they shall declare his pleasure as he hath appointed them For though it be spoken heare as past and done for the certentie of the thing yet is it not fulfilled in effecte The word of God was without beginning and his promyse euerlasting yet is it not all perfourmed in his creatures but many things are yet to come 2 After this blaste of the Angell were made great voyces in heauen Many the congregation or kingdom of God his Gospell once purely publyshed by the preachers shall speake godly thinges to the edification of other The simple poore weaklings idotes and infants shall vtter the hydden wisdome of god to the confusion of the great wise men and sage seniours of this world Yea the stones in the streat the outcastes of the world the forsaken people shall wonderfully prayse the Lord. 3 And these shal be their sayings when they shall sée the Antichristes coÌ„fused and not able to speake again The kingdomes of this worlde that were somtime wicked cruel and vnfaithfull are now become the Lords and his Christes of his onely grace and goodnesse Now fall they to the worde that afore thought it foolishnesse Now cleaue they to the trueth that somtime did abhorre it Now haue they in hand the Gospel that afore dyd persecute it as sedicious learning and heresy 4 And in this congregation shal he raigne euermore Continually is he with them that in faith retaineth hys verytie All this shall they vtter with no small reioyce For doubtles after the seauenth seale opening and the gospell preaching then a peaceable time shall be and figured it is by the halfe houre spoken of afore For it shal not continue to the ende Long may not the church of Christ be vnpersecuted But yet this peace for the time shall â—ot onely be an inward peace in the conscience as is alwayes among the faithful but an outward quiet also or a season wtouâ— persecution abroade 5 And the xxiiij elders saith S. Iohn or the great number of saincts departed whiche sitteth before God on their seats or resteth in his swéet peace in such graces of the spirit as he gaue them by their lyfe time as charite stedfastnesse loue ioy peace méekenesse rightuousnesse and such other lyke fell downe flat vpon their faces 6 Most humblye haue they euer submitted themselues referryng vnto god the father the benfite of their creation and vnto Iesus Christ hys sonne the frée gyft of their redemption Yea sepcialli at this time being vnder the Antler of God knowyng by hys méere goodnesse the number of their bretheÌ„ shortly to be fulfilled and them selues with theÌ„ to be at a gloryous liberty after their gostly sorte they laud hym saying 7 From the verye depth of our spirituall hartes we render vnto thée most hygh thankes Lorde god almighty eternall Father sonne and holy ghost which art one essenciall God and wast without beginninge and shalt be
to his charge committed and after that sort their mighty monarke also by the scriptures which thei haue afore this time denied worshippinge them for most holy saints which haue most presumptuously rebelled in that behalf But ouer the whorish church of theirs whom Christe neuer planted is sathan the onely head by the holy ghosts fore iudgements héere For to that beastly brood gaue the dragon his power his seat and his mighty aucthorytie God forbid therefore that any christian prince shoulde at their false suggestions admit so blasphemous a title The deuill saith Iob is the only head ouer all the children of pride That voice therfore may be blasphemous as comming from the mouth of the serpent if it be not taken good héede to 3 And power was geuen to the beaste to do these things for the space of xliâ— monthes which is the thrée yeares an halfe of Hilias the time times halfe time of Daniell and the M. two hundred lx daies of Iohn Not onely for this age of the church but also for all other ages and by other heades also hath the mouth of this beast vttered great things in blasphemy lies in hipocrisie wonders vnder a deceitful power But as coÌ„cerning this latter healed heade of the beast the time therof wil be short as herafter shal appeare in the xvii chap. 4 He opened his mouth saieth the text in reproues against god speking euill of his name of his tabernacle and of them that dwell in heauen This is in a manner all one with that was spoken afore in the xi chapter of the temple the aulter and of them that worship in the temple saue only that his name is héere for his temple In token that when his temple is blasphemed which is his coÌ„gregatioÌ„ his name is blasphemed by the same so is his tabernacle Iesus in whom bodyly dwelleth the fulnes of the Godhed so ar also they that dwel in heauen wherby is meÌ„t the true church from whom the angels are not secluded beiÌ„g their fellow seruaÌ„ts These dwellers be they that haue their conuersation in heauen vnder an vndefiled faith that séeke those thinges which are aboue not vpon earth that worship the father in spirit veritie the perseuereth true christians to the end Many entreth this heaueÌ„ of the Lord but all continueth not in it to the ende of their liues the more is the pitie 5 Power was also geuen vnto this beastly antichrist to make battel with the saints and to ouercome them CoÌ„tinually do they with violence vexe by their carnall policies auctority lawes the sincere witnesses or preachers of the Lorde sanctified of him throw faith in his holy word as were his apostles lyke as did the malitius clergy of the iewes yea thei did resist theÌ„ with their more theÌ„ tiraÌ„ous proclamatioÌ„s coÌ„missioÌ„s coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts with cruell Pharao Aman Antiochus to proue Christ in them the signe of coÌ„tradiction and stone of reproch They seeke héere the hunt there and neuer leaue raging til they haue closed theÌ„ vp in prisons 6 Yet are they not so contented tyl they haue ouercome them in the sight of the blinde world though not before God Either shall they be compelled shamefully to recant or if they persist in the veryty to suffer most painfull death By one way or other they must be ouercome to hold the people in errour The gardiner of winchester was not ashamed now of late as I hard it credibly reported to say vnto one that was accused of his malignant multitude when he was no leÌ„ger able to withstande the manifest truth Master SeitoÌ„ we know ye are lerned and plentuously endued with knowlege in the scriptures yet thiÌ„k not that ye shall ouercome vs. No no set your hart at rest and looke neuer to haue it sayd that ye haue ouercom the bishops for it shal not be so In déed it is trueth For neither Christe nor his Apostles did euer yet ouercome you Their victory ouer you is not in this world your kiÌ„gdom being here But be ye certen sure of it ye shal be ouercoÌ„ to your much more rebuke at the latter day when al wroÌ„gs iniuries shall be reueÌ„ged which is not farre of Your lordly estimatioÌ„ which may not be hindred here wil apeare there not very precious Yet doe ye well to hold vp a proude pecoks head as long as ye may Lose not an inche of your height hardly but with your gogle eyes looke vp like a man with a gard at your taile like a sort of tormentours in a play And with your lyinge iudgementes ouercome these beggerly vagabonds and burn them also rather then faile to fulfil the mesure of your holy fathers 7 And authority was geuen to this beast vpon euery kinred people tong and nacion For none these antchristes spare neither high nor low rich nor poore sick nor whole learned nor vnlearned But a iurisdiction they must haue ouer them though it be vsurped Once in the yeare must they haue them in confession to knowe which way they are bente That salue haue they gotten in agayne to heale vp their wounded head Be he natiue or be he straÌ„ger be he ruler or be he a commoner he must obey theÌ„ no remedy or els stande forth at the sessions with Christ among théeues Not in on regioÌ„ or wher as one maner of langage is vsed haue they this auctority but in euery land in euery shire in euery towne in euery famyly must they haue to do corruptiÌ„g euery mans faith 8 For al that dwel vpon earth must worship this beast They must agrée to the great things no remedy They must blaspheme god as they do But blessed be the Lorde none doth yâ— in their harts but they onely that dwel vpon the earth that haue their felicity here that séeketh the prosperitie of this world regardeth noÌ„e other life theÌ„ therin is The laÌ„bs of christs fold geueth héed to his voice thei regard his cal they folow his word they walâ—e in his light Thei séeke for no holines but only in hiÌ„ neither in water nor bread ashes nor palmes robes nor reliques masses nor anointings He is their only sufficient wisdom rightuousnes holynes redeÌ„ptioÌ„ His word is their liuing water the fode of their soules the lantarne that shal gyde theÌ„ and the life that wyll not faile them None other doctrine do they couet nor yet other precepts of liuing Though they be héere in the earth yet dwell thei not vpon it No continuing citie haue they here but they séeke vnto another of much more beauty pleasure not builded of meÌ„ And for that they are ready rather to render vp their liues then to renouÌ„ce the verity only they which dwel here doth worship the beast louing themselues better then god their flesh better then his trueth hauing their whole trust in the mangye merits dirty deseruings of these beastly hipocrites and nothing at all in his swéet
of vnfruitfull profitable For he it is that taketh away the stony hart and geueth a soft hart for it so making vs Abrahams children Thus are we redéemed from men whan we are taken by his goodnesse from such corrupt vsages as mans nature is inclined vnto 20 And for none other purpose but to be the first fruits vnto god as were the aulter offrings in the old lawe in the hands of the high priestes For so much as the elect number ar but a few or a certaine taken out from the vniuersall multitude and are the porcion of the Lord as were the said offerings perteyning vnto Christ the only bishop of our soules they are his first fruits Yea his owne very mistical members and al but one offring vnto God the father by him For he is the onely lambe that died for them his owne bodye beinge the only oblacion and sacrefice 21 And in their mouthes was found no gile For none other wordes vttered they but his pâ—er testimonies None other taught thei but his vndefiled lawes None other perswaded they to be obserued of other but his immaculate Gospel or easy burthen of Christ. No importable yokes laied they vpon mens shoulders neither of cerimonies fastiÌ„gs nor masse hearings 22 For they are without spot before the throne of god Both before them that are faythfull and haue right iudgment in the spyrite whiche are the very seats of God apereth their doctrine pure and also their life innoceÌ„t before god hiÌ„selfe Neyther are they spotted with filthy tradicions nor yet with vncuÌ„ly examples as coÌ„cerning their former sinnes they shal not be imputed vnto them They are remitted in Christ and so forgotten afore god Though this that here hath bin spoken be concerning the whole christen multitude and her preachers yet doth it most specially touche the Iewes or Israelyts that shal in this latter age be conuerted vnto Christ. And so doe I counsell the reader to vnderstand it For the mount Syon after the flesh was theirs Not defiled are they with vnmaried women which are the whorishe lawes and vncleane supersticions of the Gentiles vpoÌ„ none other harp haue they commonly harped but vpon the scriptures though it hath not bin to the pleasure of God tyll nowe in this latter age wherin they shall wholye turne vnto Christ. THE TEXT 1 And I savv an Angell 2. Fly in the midst of heauen 3. Hauing an euerlasting gospell to preach vnto them that sit and dvvell on the earth 4. And to all nacions kinreds and â—ongs and people 5. sayinge vvith a loude voyce 6. Feare God 7. And geue honour to him 8. For the houre of his iudgemente is come 9. and worship him that made heuen earth 10. And the sea the fountaines of vvater The Paraphrase 1 An other Angell sawe I sayeth sainct Iohn flye in the midst of heauen For Christ was the first angell or messenger of the euerlastinge couenaunt of the father This angell here mencioned is none other than he that had the seale of the lyuing god in the .vii. Chapter and he that was clothed with a cloude in the tenth chap. And he betokneth those feruent ministers whoÌ„ god hath sent in this latter time to admonishe his people to flye from the errours of antichrist returne to his heauenlye verities 2 He flyeth in the midst of heauen An earnest feruent faithful course take they in the middest of gods congregacion which is his heauenly kingedom here to whom this reuelation is written lyke as dyd Paulus Sylas and Barnabas Timotheus Titus and Clemens with other of the Apostles sincerely to declare his worde Mighty stomaked are they in gods cause both in their wordes and wrytings 3 An euerlastinge Gospell had this Angel to preach vnto them that sit dwell vpon the earth and to al nations kynreds and people His eternal testameÌ„t and couenant of peace hath the Lorde giuen vnto them to preach deliuerance to the captiue health to the wounded lyfe to the dead and remission to the sinfull Yea to vtter that word that is stronger thaÌ„ is heauen or earth and that shall neuer fayle hym that truely beléeueth 4 The sound of this gospell muste go the world ouer as in the apostles time Eueri wher must it be spred to the increase of faith AmoÌ„g al natioÌ„s of the earth among al kinreds of the Isralyts among all languages of the world and among all kinds of people of what sort so euer they be whether they sit vpon the earth or dwell vpon the earth whether they be high or lowe gouernours or subiects masters or seruaÌ„ts owners or fermers So that they sit not nor dwell not within the earth or haue theyr felicitie here For that is holy should not be geuen vnto dogs nor yet pearels layed before swyne 5 And he cryed with a loude voyce with a mighty feruent spirit do they beat it into the heades of men both by wordes writings and al they can make to haue the feare of God and to geue him his due honour And this is the doctrine they teache the counsell they geue 6 Feare ye God in all that ye doe for the first poynt of godly wisdome is to dread least we offende him Be constant in the worde and feare no displeasure of men For no more can they do in their anger but slea the body and bring it to the rest of god No power haue thei ouer the soule feare him only therfore that wheÌ„ he hath destroied both may throw theÌ„ into heâ— 7 Geue honor vnto hiÌ„ worship him serue him alone praise him glorifie him aboue al. But yet after 〈◊〉 other sort thaÌ„ he hath apoiÌ„ted which is in faith spirite veritie not 〈◊〉 outward shadowes with obseruation of tymes He truely honoureth him that trusteth in him the beleueth his word and that in spight of all antichrists coÌ„fesseth it afore al men after this sort therfore feare him worship hym nothiÌ„g douting the assalts of enimies 8 For the houre of his iudgemeÌ„t is come At hand is it that all the antichristes and hipocrits shal by the inuincible word of god be iudged condemned and destroyed From heaueÌ„ shall hys wrath be declared vpon al their vngodlynes With the spirite of his mouth shall the lorde consume them and not longe after wyll the great day of his indignatioÌ„ toward them light sodenly vpon them 9 With al faithful obsequi worship him therfore that created heauen earth in wonderfull streÌ„gth beuty 10 That made the sea the fountaines of water with all that in theÌ„ doth anone whose power is eternall knowledge none other god but him None other helper redemer nor sauior but christ for al other christs not seÌ„t of hiÌ„ ar but antichrists only bow your knées vnto him for only is hys strength euerlasting onely obey his lawes for only are his lawes clean THE TEXT 1 And there folovved an other Angel saying 2. She is fallen she is fallen euen
Babylon that great citie 3. For she made al nations drink of the vvine of her vvhordome The Paraphrase 1 And there folowed an other Angell saith S. Iohn which betokneth an other sort of preachers whose office is here appointed them of the holy Ghost to declare vnto the people the certenty of the fall of the aduoutrus cursed and malignant church of hipocrits here figured by wretched BabiloÌ„ For though al the true prophets and preachers haue but one worde of God in their mouth yet passeth it diuersly from them Unto each of theÌ„ is geuen a diuers vtteraunce of the spirit to edifie One is soft méeke gentle as was Dauid Iohn Peter an other is boysteous harde vehement as was Helias Esay Paule And all this worketh the selfe same one spirit This diuersitie of techers was neuer more plentuous in the world than now in our time figured here by these two angels Praysed be the Lord therefore 2 And the tenour or ground of this latter sort of preachers is this She is fallen she is fallen euen miserable Babylon the great citie of whoredom bicause she made all nacions to drink of the wrathful wyne of hir fornication So sure is it that the execrable church of Antichrist shal be ouerthrowen and vtterly destroyed as it wer now perfourmed in déede Nothinge shal be vnrooted out that the heauenly father hath not planted Sooner shall heauen earth perish than this promisse be vnfulfilled 3 For with the stinking whorishnes of hir supersticious worshippinges hath she poysoned all nacions peoples vnder heauen The great gouernours lerned lawiers of the world hathe she made in maner of beastly dronkerds wytlesse faythlesse and gracelesse by theyr prostibulous doctrine And this shal be declared more at large in the .xvij. cha folowing wheras she is more pleÌ„tuously described The texte 1 And the third Angell followed them 2. saying with a loude voyce 3. If any worship the beast and his Image 4. and receiue his marke in his forehead or on his hand 5. the same shall drinke of the wyne of the vvrath of god 6. vvhich is povvred in the cup of his vvrath 7 and he shall be punished in fyre brimstone 8. before the holy Angels 9. and before the Lambe The Paraphrase 1 The thyrd Angel also saith saint Iohn followed theÌ„ in the thyrd kinde of preaching of the same selfe message that in the mouth of two or thrée faithful witnesses all veritie might stand 2 And by this Angell are they signified that by the word of God stifly impugne theyr wicked lawes vngodly ordinaunces whose maner of earnest preaching is this 3 If any man worship the beast which is the great antichrist And his Image which are those gouernours that taketh vpon them his blasphemous titles names authoritie or defence If any man also receiue his mark in his forehead beléeuing theyr lawes to be a christen doctrine or haue the print of his seale vpoÌ„ his right hand which is to fashion his outward workes after the same The same man shall drinke of the wine of Gods wrath which are the dregs of the pure wyne poured in the cup of his high displeasure He shall taste of the euerlasting damnation that is reserued in the latter cursse or fearefull sentence of their moste terrible iudge To worship the beast and his Image is to accept them in conscience and in the outward obedience with ful consent of the hearte For that they blasphemously pretend without Gods authority As the Pope for Gods vicar or forgeuer of sinnes Mahomet for the greate Prophet of the Lord the rulers of the earth for the Popes elder or yonger sonnes for moste christian Kinges and defenders of the fayth of that holy church 4 To receiue the beastes marke in their forheads and hands is to agrée to such decrées traditious lawes constitucions actes proclamations as they vnder those titles haue made onely for theyr owne couetousnesse pomp and neither for the glory of god nor yet for the right maintenance of the christen common wealthe as I haue declared afore And also to be sworne to the same to subscribe to it to geue counsel or ayde to it to maintayn it by learning to minister in it to execute vnder it to accuse punish and put to death for it or to think it lawfull and godly with such lyke 5 These marked worshippers that tast of the cuppe of gods indignation of calamitie sorow wretchednesse in the dayes of theyr fal here after the last iudgement of vnspeakeable paines and most gréeuous torments in euerlasting fyre prepared for the diuell and his angels 6 The dregges that the Lord hath powred out sayth Dauid shall the wicked of the earth drynke Cleane coÌ„trary are these Angels to the horned ministers of antichrist For they maintaine the Popes errours these the onely verities of christ They labor for the glory of their pope these séeketh the only honor of god They prate that their holy Church shall continue thâ—se say it shall downe with shame They require worship to the beast and his Image these will report it blasphemous the reward therof damnation Marke in these two sortes the preachers of our time and iudge whiche are of god Against both beastes in Christes quarell shall these Angels contende Against the Pope and his bishops Mahomet and his doctours wyll these godlye ministers replye whom the Lorde hath sent in this latter age for that purpose condemniÌ„g by the scriptures their auctoryty iurisdiction power declaring also the plagues that wyl fall vpon them for witholding the truth of God in vnrightuousnes 7 For these Antichristes and their worshippers with so many as beareth their token shall be punished in fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lamb. Fyre shal be kindled saith Moyses in the anger of the Lorde shall burne vnto the bottome of Hell Upon the vngodly sayeth Dauid shall he raine snares Fyre brimstone storme and tempest shall be their porcyon to drynke The vehement indignation and mighty iudgement of God shall light vpon them as vpon Sodome and Egipt and shall both deuoure them and consume them 8 And this shal be in the sighte of Aungels which are not onely the spirites of heaueÌ„ but also the church of the faythfull Yea the righteous shall reioyce when he séeth the destruction and shall washe his handes it the bloud of the wicked 9 In the presence of the lambe shal it be also For he is euermore with his flock shal be vnto the end of the world wherin he shal sit coÌ„dem theÌ„ The Texte 1 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth vp euermore 2. And they haue no rest day nor night 3. vvhich worship the beaste and his Image 4. and vvhosoeuer receyueth the prynt of his name 5. here is the pacience of sayntes 6. Here are they that keepe the commaundements 7. and the fayth of Iesuâ— The Paraprhase 1 And the smoke of their
mischief Let thy word therfore finish all as it hath begon all With the breath of thy mouth consume the great Antichriste the man of sinne the sonne of perdicion the aduersarye that hath exalted him selfe aboue God Powre out thy indignation vpon the kingdoms that wil neyther know thée worship thée nor alone call vpon thy name Thou haste called thy haruest the end of the world let it now finish al in déed Diuide the chaffe from the corn the wicked from the rightuous Gather the wheat into thy garner and burne the chaffe in vnquenchable fyer 6 And he that sat on the cloude thrust in his sickle on the earth and anon the earth was reaped 7 He hath sent hys mightie word so quick in operation as fyre Which shal not onely coÌ„sume the wicked generation of the beast but also reserue theÌ„ to eternall dampnation 8 The earth shal be cleared of them as of all other filthy corruptions and hell replenished with them to their perpetuall care THE TEXT 1 And an other Angell came out of the temple 2. vvhich is in heauen 3. hauing also a sharpe sickle The Paraphrase 1 And an other Angel saith S. Iohn came out of the temple which is in heauen or from the great number of Angels hauing also a sharpe sickle in his hande 2 This Angel betokeneth those heauenly spirites that the Lord shal send foorth to gather togyther hys chosen from the iiij wyndes whan his tokeÌ„ shall appeare in heauen These are the reapers of the Lordes harueste These are they that shall go foorth too gather all nations to seperate the goates from the Lambes the il from the good and shall caste them into a furnace of fire where as shal be waylyng and gnashing of téeth 3 And therefore is their sickle héere named sharpe None other is theyr sickle but this appointed office None other is their haruest but this gathering togither But these messengers shal not foorth til they haue commauÌ„dement And therefore saith Saynct Iohn consequently THE TEXT 1 And an other Angell came out from the aulter 2. vvhich had povver ouer fyre 3. and cryed vvith a loude crye vnto him that had the sharpe sickle and sayde 4. Thrust in thy sharpe sickle 5. and gather the clusters of the earth 6. for hir grapes are rype 7. And the Angel thrust in his sickle on the earth 8. and cut dovvn the grapes of the vineyard of the earth 9. and cast them into the great vvynefat of the wrath of God 10. And the vvynefat vvas troden vvithout the citie 11 and bloud came out of the fatte 12. euen vnto the horse bridles 13. by the space of a thousande and sixe hundred furlongs The Paraphrase 1 And an other Angell came out froÌ„ the aulter which had power ouer fire This is the Lord Iesus Christ whoÌ„ Malachias calleth the Angel of the couenaunt that was longed for Hée is the aulter of the rightuous by him are they a swéet sacrifice vnto God Els could they be but very abhomination Till the iudgement day shall he be an Aulter of meanes making to God the father for vs. But that day once come no longer shall he be an aulter or an aduocate but go clean from it He shall then become a iudge ouer al the world rewardyng euery one accordynge to their workes Hitherto hath he méekly sitten vpon the cloude and not cut with his sickle He hath had in his haÌ„d the iudgement and not iudged 2 But now hath he power ouer fyre By fire which is vnder his obedieÌ„ce as are all other creatures els shall he at that day iudge the vnyuersall worlde And more sharpe vehement quicke fierce mighty tirrible shall hys senteÌ„ce be to the wicked thaÌ„ is any fearful flaming or consuming wilde fire 3 For with a loude voyce shal he cry vnto him that hath the sharpe sickle An earnest charge coÌ„mandement shal he giue at the day to the ministers of his ire for to cast theÌ„ into exteriour darkenes after this sort here vttered in mistery 4 Thrust in thy sharpe sickle gather the cluster of the earthli vinyard for the grapes thereof are ripe 5 Execute the vengeaunce committed vnto you roote out this ranke riotous generatioÌ„ of the rauenous epicures 6 For now are their mischiefes at the full Now are they moste curious in their facions feadinges most couetous in their coÌ„passings most vaine in their studies most cruell in their doâ—inges For with theÌ„ shal it be saith Christ as it was in the daies of Noe and Loth. They shal builde and baÌ„ket ruffle and riote bye and sell and plant for their pleasures And sodainly as a snare shall that terrible day light vpoÌ„ theÌ„ vnbewares as did death on the couetous iourer 7 And the Angel saith S. Iohn thrust in his sickle on the earth he cutt downe the grapes of the vineyard of the earth and so did cast them into the great wyne fatte of the wrath of God 8 According to their commission they shall plage the earthly minded for here is the time past for the tyme coÌ„ming vsed for the certaintie of it With sodayne death shal they perce theÌ„ in this world that coÌ„temning Christs doctrine haue folowed the corse therof in al coÌ„cupiceÌ„ce 9 And finally they shal throwe them into the lake of misery the pit without water into the stinking dregges of hell wher as fyre and brimstone shal be rewarded to drinke For the vineyarde of the earth is the carnal sinagoge of hypocrites the grapes therof are the glorious glottons franke fedde porkelinges of the gredy gulfe eueÌ„ the enemies of Christes crosse whose God is their beally whose glory is their coÌ„fusion whose end is their daÌ„natioÌ„ for they are earthly minded This winefat of the wrath of God is none other then his great vengaunce to be powred vpoÌ„ the vnfaithful Or els hell prepared for the deuill his angels Great not onely for the innumerable multitud that it hath shal reciue but also in that it is insaciable 10 And this winefat was trodeÌ„ without the citie Nothing perteyneth it to the citie of whoÌ„ famous thing are spokeÌ„ which is the congregatioÌ„ of god nor yet to the good creatures of god No not vnto this world which shall at that dayâ— be tried purged by fyre But vnder the earth shal it be far without thys world secluded from the face of heaueÌ„ in filthy vnspeakeable darknesse 11 For bloud wil come out of thys fate euen vnto the horse bridles Wherin is expressed not only the terrour of the place but also of the paines therein contained For bloud shedding murther are things very horryble feareful to beholde containing in them depriuatioÌ„ of life which is most terrible of all The aboundance thereof betokeneth the greatnesse of the griefe in the sufferance of them The treading downe also signifieth that no raise towardes any reliefe is to be looked for of them that be there
Unto them which at that day shall be in the cittie wil be that sitteth in the thron make all things now All dolour afflictioÌ„ sorow paine penury wrath coÌ„dempnatioÌ„ death shal be past with them Only shal they be trodeÌ„ down in this winefat of gods wrath that lyued héere lyke beastes without reason and that wandered here lyke horses and mules in theyr owne filthy lustes 12 All shal be punished there that was here vnbrideled vnordred vngouerned after the worde pleasure of God And therefore it is here sayd vnto the horse bridles Euery man shal receiue in body according to that he hath don whether it be good or euell They that haue wrought the work of God in faith shall reape according vnto it The bridles also betokeneth the mesure of gods iudgement not as concerning the tyme which is euerlasting but concerning the payne rightly mesured according to the iniquity For the lord hath set his iudgments ouer the wicked in weight and mesure the stripes agreing in quaÌ„titi to the exces of sin so much tormeÌ„t to haue as their reioice hath ben in wikednes 13 The space of these terible tormeÌ„ts or punishmentes of hel is a M. and .vj. hundred furlongs A furlong of the Grekes is called the runne of Hercules it is in length an C. .xxv. paces or steppes And coÌ„moÌ„ly they vsed accordiÌ„g to the length to measure their playing places Of whome Paule maketh meÌ„cion to the CorinthiaÌ„s being Gréekes by theÌ„ that ruÌ„neth in a course that proueth masteries In this thousande and vi hundred furlonges here is comprehended the whol vniuersal course of the wicked for the iiii quartars of the world The number of an hundred is euermore an whole complete perfect number And â—iij huÌ„dred .iiij. times nuÌ„bred is .xvj. huÌ„dred which maketh this number of a thousand vj. huÌ„dred the number of iiij respecting alwayes the iiij clymates of the world which are the common habitacioÌ„s of sinners In theÌ„ course they in all wantan kindes of liuing In theÌ„ worke they their masteris of all vngodly obseruacioÌ„s and false worshippinges walking in the large or opeÌ„ way which leadeth vnto death According to the number mesure of this course hath God here measured the place punishment Notwithstanding neuer is he without mercy Maruelous he is in his workes iudgemeÌ„ts which are vnsercheable Blessed is he that shal haue his part in the citie or congregation of the rightuous and that shal sée the peace vpon Israel when the Lord shal lead forth them with the euil doers that hath 〈◊〉 them selues with their lawes The Lord graunt vs once to tast the prosperitye of Hierusalem Amen The xv Chapter NOt only for the common sinnes of the world doth the Lord plague but most of al for vnthankfulnes of al blasphemies the greatest From that spurneth against knowlege directly worketh against the holy ghost A double distruction or decay both of soule bodye by the righteousnesse of god must nedes followe the wilful coÌ„tempt of his veritie manifestly shewed and openlye taught Yet is the Lorde so mercifull that hee willeth not the daÌ„nation of a sinner Such coÌ„passioÌ„ hath he euer our manifold weakenesse that he premonisheth vs of hys moste terrible plagues to call vs backe by feare if loue will not doe it As here consequently in the first vysion of this present reuelatioÌ„ to Iohn which followeth after this sort in this xv and xvj Chapters THE TEXT 1 And I saw an other signe in heuen great and merueilous 2. seuen Angels hauyng the seuen last plagues 3. for in them is fulfilled the vvrath of God 4. And I savve as it vvere a glassy sea 5. mingled vvith fyre 6. and theÌ„ that had gotten the victory of the beast and of his Image 7. and of his mark and of the number of his name 8. stande on the glassy sea 9 hauing the harps of God 10. And they sang the songe of Moyses the seruaunt of God 11. and the songe of the Lambe saying 12. Great and merueilous are thy vvorkes Lord God almightie 13. iust and true are thy vvayes thou king of Sainctes 14. VVho shall not feare O Lorde and glorifie thy name 15. For thou onely arte holy 16. and all gentiles shal come and vvorship before thee 17. for thy iudgements are made manifest The Paraphrase 1 And I sawe sayeth sainct Iohn by the secret goodnes of my Lord God yet an other tokeÌ„ in heaueÌ„ great merueilous straunge and wonderfull For in the churches or congregation of God are euermore vttered his wonderfull and déepe iudgementes vnto them only whome his grace appoynteth as vnto Iohn And this is the token in mistery 2 Seuen Aungels had in their hands the seuen last plagues Some expositors haue taken these Angels for the right ministers in the .vii. ages of the christian church Some haue thought them to be the peruerse prechers and vngodly ministers of all the sayde ages suffered of God strongly to delude the vnbeléeuers that he wich hurteth should hurte stil and that he wkich is in fylthines should still be filthy Unto euery age corresponding an Aungell to declare the nature of those deceitefull hyrelings and lying masters And this maketh them so to vnderstande the texte They are here expresly noted to be in heauen Among the congregation of God are the false Prophets and discembling Hipocrits euermore as the chaffe among the corne the teares among the wheate and the filthy dregs amonge the pure wine For that kyngdome is as a net throwen into the sea and gatheringe all manner of fishes both good and bad In all ages hath the wicked generacioÌ„ increased to impugne the truth and stifly sâ— to stande vp agaynste God and his Christ whiche is none other after their mindes than to minister the .vii. laste plagues here For no poyson is to the soule so pestilent nor yet venim so noyfull as is false doctrine No plage can be thought more deadlie nor violent than to depriue vs of that faith of that veritie of that life whiche is in Christ Iesu or to bring vs out of the way which he hath appointed And al this séemeth no smal likelyhood of the iust vnderstanding of the text here Yet Frances Lambert geuith a far better iudgment calling theÌ„ the set senteÌ„ces or vnuariable decrées of god difining his iudgments against the wicked in his latter age of the world at their appointed times to be vtterred For all these thinges are iontely to be considered These Angles came not onely from heauen which is the congregation as they haue mencioned but also out of the celestiall temple of the tabernacle of testimonie which is the omnypotente God his Christ as the xxi chap. hereof declareth They are also clothed with pure whit linnen gyrded with golden girdles they haue golden vials deliuered vnto them by one of the iiii beasts and one of them commoneth with Iohn declarynge vnto him the iudgement and fall of the
of the foure Beasts gaue vnto the seuen Angels 10. Seauen golden vials 11. ful of the vvrath of god vvhich liueth for euermore 12 and the teÌ„ple was ful of smoke 13. For the glory of God and for his power 14. And no man vvas able to enter into the temple 15. Tyll the seauen plagues of the seuen Angels vvere fulfilled The Paraphrase 1 And anone after that saith S. Iohn I loked yet more adâ—â—sedly And sodeÌ„ly as it were the euerlasting teÌ„ple of the tabernacle of witnes was opeÌ„ in heaueÌ„ 2 A mistery this is very earnestlye to be marked as a thiÌ„g of great waight The Lord almightye is this eternall temple he is the temple not made with hands vncreated gloryous and ful of maiesty coÌ„prehending in him al thiÌ„gs he within none againe comprehended He is the Lord of all He measureth heauen with his span he ouer reacheth all the world with his iii. fingers In him we liue we moue and haue our beyng The tabernacle of witnes is the lambe Iesus Christ. He is that very tabernacle of God that was here amoÌ„g men bearing that faithful witnes which geueth wisdom to babes He is the propiciatory or mercy seate wherin we are hard and forgeuen Neither was this tabernacle of this manner building but much more perfecte and greater This holy tabernacle is with in the aforesayd temple for Christ dwelleth in the father and the father in him 3 Open is this temple in heauen the tabernacle séene whan god is known by true preaching christs doctrine beléeued For he came into the world for that purpose was borne to beare witnesse vnto the truth whoÌ„ the father willed only to be hard concerning faith 4 This temple and tabernacle open or god and his worde once knowne in this latter age the seauen Angels coÌ„meth forth The eternall decrées of gods secret iudgemets apéereth are fulfilled in their times As Angels or messeÌ„gers of god thei haue in his eternitie theyr iust plagues in their season appointed to be exhibited 5 And therfore are they sayd to come out from the temple whiche is God Nothing hath he purposed to the world but he hath decréed it afore the worldes constitution For his purpose minde and pleasure is as he is euerlasting And as it falleth to the world by hys assignement it becommeth a messenger going out of the temple So many hath he sent out of such messeÌ„gers as he hath fulfilled decréed purposes And marueil not though they be here called angels considering that it is the commoÌ„ maner of the holy scriptures euermore to call them Angels which vttereth the will pleasure and commaundement of God as they doe here After this sort are the priests called Angels so is Aggeus the prophet so is S. Iohn Baptist so are Christes disciples also the publique preachers 9 What the plagues are that they shall shed out of their vials will be shewed clearly in the next chap. folowiÌ„g one after an other 7 These Angels are apparelled in pure whit linnen bright shininge as christal and girdels about theyr brests with girded of fine golde whiche betokneth their sincere cleannes their gloryous perfitnesse For what can be more pure precious than the eternall decrées of the lord What can be more perfit and glorious than his prediffined purposes The lawes of God are vndefiled the testimonies are true the statuts are right the waies are suer the commaundements are cleare the iudgements are godly the words are pure and precious Yea the gifts that come from the father of light are euer more perfit and good 8 The gyrding of their breasts is the streight spearing vp of the secret meaning of Gods iudgementes from our carnall vnderstanding till such time as he openeth theÌ„ vnto vs by his spirit for it belongeth not vnto vs to deserue such secrets as the father reserueth to his owne power 9 And one of the foure beastes or congregations saith S. Iohn delyuered vnto the aforesayde .vii. Angels .vii. golden vials replenished with the wrath full displeasure of God which liueth for euermore Though the congregations be in the first chapter .vii. in the fourth .iiii. vnderstanded by the foure beastes yet are they héere in this place brought all vnto one and called one of the iiii or els of the foure made one for so muche as the vniuersall christian church is of one consent one faith one baptim one god and pertayneth to one Christe For so much also as it confesseth beléeueth and teacheth one doctrine of health One is my doue saieth the holy ghost one is my dearelye beloued darlyng A beast is it here noted as liuing in the flesh and not yet mortified by death 10 The vials of Gods wrath are the vngodly reprobates fit onely for destruction Golden are thei here named because they appeare gloryous in the worldly iudgementes of men Uerye paynted tombs are the dissembling hipocrits within full of stinking bones A shining name of life haue thei yet are they inwardly dead For all that they do is to be séene of men 11 Full of wrath are they wherby is ment a sinfull vnderstanding with damnable doctrins For very swift ar thei to al vngodlynesse The .vi. properties haue they which the Lord hateth and the seuenth which he vtterly abhoreth A proud looke a dissembling tongue bloudy hands a wicked hart féet redy vnto mischife wayes to practise lyes sowings of dissencioÌ„ amoÌ„g brethren These are geuen of the true christen congregation to the vii Angels or decréed purposes of God to be iudged as thei haue eternally diffined For none other is their continuall prayer but that his wyll be fulfilled and that his predifined intentes againste the peruerse multitude be finished at theyr conuenient times None other is it to put into the Angels handes the vials of gods displeasure than thus to commit them by faithful prayer to his purposed decrées or fore set ordinaunces 12 Bâ—t because that commonly whan gods iudgements begin to wax knowen all thinges are commoned troubled therfore is it said here conseqently that the temple was full of smoke by reason of the maiestie of God and of his gloryous power This smoke are certayne misteries representing vnto vs the hidden maiestie of gods eternall presence Whose brightnesse can no frayle vnderstanding abide Not al the world could not sustaine it if all thinges were opeÌ„ playne coÌ„cerninge it In no wise could Moyses presently sée the face of God only might he be suffered to sée his backe partes for no maÌ„ can se God liue Only is he sene here in this life as in a glasse or vnder a dark speking He appereth vnto vs here in a mistical smoke like as he dyd to the patriarck Iacob in sléepe to Moises in the flaming bush to Helias in the horle winde to the Apostles in fyery toÌ„gs vnto Ananias in a secret visioÌ„ 13 Under the shadow of figurate locucioÌ„ is his glory for the elect persons and
thē or remoue thē By his rightfull iudgement at his only pleasure he hardeneth As the potter may he break thē or make them vessels of dishonor 6 In no wyse did this peruerted multitude repēt their wicked blasphemies to giue him glory for all their cōfessyons masse hearings pilgrimages satisfactions without number For they were not according to his prescription 7 After none other sort wil he be plea and glorified than he hath by his scriptures appointed Nothing lesse ar their fantasies than true repentance THE TEXT 1 And the fifte Angell powred out his vyall 2. vpon the seat of the beast 3. his kingdome vvaxed darke 4. And they gnevve theyr tongues for sorrovve 5. and blasphemed the God of heauen for sorovv and payn of their sores 6. and repented not of theyr deedes The Pharaphrase 1 In order succéedeth by the diuine ordinaūce the fifte Angel vnder the fifte seale opening powring out his vyal of Gods indignation vpon the seat of the beast After none other sorte than the Lorde had afore prediffined for mans vnfaithfulnesse sake was the proude beastly kingdome of the papacie the execrable reigne of Mahomet replenished with all filthy abhominations vnder the sunne For in the other age afore they did but créepe into the hartes of men through the glitterings of hypocrisie and dissimulate sanctitie 2 But here haue they obtayned the power seat and aucthoritie of the beaste and so gotten vnto them the myghtie Monarchies of the vniuersall worlde Here raigned they without checke in all vain glory hautinesse malice pryd murther hipocrisie superstitiō Idolatry and blasphemy of Gods name 3 And therfore their kingdomes as all one in diuillishenesse became all darke without the light of Gods veritie full of the stinking smoke of the bottomlesse pitte Than went the locusts abroad and filled the world with ignorance and blyndnesse 4 Euery where gnewe they theyr tōges for very sorow In detracting the veritie muche griefe they suffered in their desperate hartes their wormes not dying nor their fyre quenched the scorpiōs of the earth stinging them also 5 Spitefully they blasphemed the omnipotent Lord of heauen for very anguish dolour of their sores woūds For none other are the fruites of a desperate cōscience thā blasphemies of God as in Cain Iudas and such other lyke None other are the vtterances of an vnpenitent harte but heauy hatefull murmurings 6 And therefore it followeth that they repented them not of their déeds For in a cruciate or fearfully vexed conscyence can neuer dwel true repentāce So vnquietous alwayes is the foolishe desperate mynde as is the troubled raging sea A wicked harte is laden with sorrowes heaping sin vpon sin the Sinagoge of proude hipocrites hauing no health In the fifte seale opening and trumpet blowing is more of this mysterie declared which agréeth much with this vyall of God lyke as doeth the other with the other in their numbers though not in their figures The texte 1. And the sixt Angell poured out his viall 2. Vpon the great riuer of Euphrates 3. And the water dried vp 4. That the way of the Kings 5. Of the east should be prepared 6. And I saw three vncleane spirits like frogs 7. Come out of the mouth of the dragō 8. and out of the mouth of the beaste 9. And out of the mouth of the false prophet 10. For they are the spirits of deuilles 11. Workinge miracles to goe out 12 Vnto the kinges of the earth of the whole vvorld 13. to gather thē to the battel 14. Of the great day of god almightie 15. Beholde I come as a thiefe 16. Happy is he that vvatcheth 17. And kepeth his garments 18. Least he be found naked 19 And men see his filthynesse 20. And he gathered them together into a place 12 called in the Hebrue tonge Armagedon The Paraphrase 1 In course now followeth the sixte Angel of gods appointment vnder the sixt seal opening shedding out his ireful viall vpō the great riuer Euphrats a floud of the Assirians or of Babilon betokening in misterye the pleasaunt possessions and wauering delights of the Papisticall cleargye with suche lyke 2 Into all filthy desires of carnal and worldlye lustes gaue the Lorde their hartes ouer in the sixt age of the christian church for their vnbeléeues sake to doe those things which are vncumly and beastly So that all their study trauaile and labour sought to none other end but onely to abound in them Wholly were they geuen therevnto and nothing to the glory of God in all their practised obseruations 3 Yet were the waters therof in processe of time dryed vp Their wealthy pompes possessions pleasures their false feats once knowne are shal be clearely taken away from them For after Iesus Sirach the plant of sinne shall be rooted out in the proud Sinagog of the wicked 4 And all this shal be to prepare the way of the kinges from the spring of the sunne Neuer shall the gouerners walke in the waies of the Lorde nor rule according to Christes doctrine nor yet that doctrine be apert open til the waters be dryed vp not one drop remaining So long as the priests dwell in wanton delights vaine pleasures either are the princes childishe or els tyrannous according as their déeds require 5 Neuer are they kinges from the spring of the sunne or accordinge to Christs rule séeking Gods honour with Dauid and Iosias In England by the Gospell preaching haue many of these waters bene dryed vp in the suppression of monasteries priories couents fryers houses yet are not all things brought vnto Christes clere institution A sincere christē order can not yet beséene there And a great cause why For all is not yet dryed vp there The bishops reigne still in as much vaine gloryous pompe and with as manye Heithenish obseruacions as euer they dyd As cruelly harted and as bloudye mynded are they yet as euer they were afore no mischiefe vnsought to holde in the waters Mark how Winchester Durham York London and Lincolne woorketh with such other pleasantly disposed Euphratines But be of good comfort and pray in the meane time For the holy ghoste promiseth here they shall wither away with all that the heauenly father hath not plāted All that generation wyll the Lordes breath consume Now is the axe layde to the roote of the trée to hewe downe the vnfruitfull braunches the withered reserued to vnquenchable fyer God graunt the Princes at that daye more christenly to bestow the waters of Euphrates than they haue yet bene bestowed noe prouision made for the poore nor yet order set for the gospell preaching For great part of it is now turned to the vpholdings of dise playing maskinge and bankatinge yea I woulde I coulde not by iust occasions speake it bribing whoring and swearing the townes peoples and housshouldes miserablye decayed whiche wyll not one day be vnplaged vnlesse they repent 6 Furthermore I saw sayeth saint Iohn in the same self vision
thrée vncleane spirits one comming out of the Dragons mouth which signifieth sathan the deuill an other out of the beastes mouth betokeninge the vniuersall Antichrist and the third out of the false prophets mouth compared afore to the two horned beast And all they séemed in maner as frogs both in their colours and fashions 7 Idolatry was that yll spirit which first went out from the serpent hath continued euer since in the world vnder the colour of good works as pilgrimage deuocion labour 8 Errour in abhominable filthynesse was the spirit whiche came from the beastly Antichrist defilinge the whole christianitie with innumerable superstitions vnder the colour of chaste lyuing in pristhod sacrifices and ceremonies 9 Hipocrisie was the foule spirite which issued from the false preachers poysoning the catholyque faith with false doctrine vnder the colour of religion pretending abstinence prayer and clennesse These thrée wicked spirits are not all vnlyke to the wilde fire smoke and brimstone whiche the terrible fierce horses euometed in the ix chapter of this present prophecye For cursed false and vnpure they are Their doctrine is wickednesse lies deuilishnesse and the execrable wisdome of the flesh In manner of frogs are they here described for their diuersitie of coloures in ceremonyes doctrine sects for their filthy dwelling in the dyrty tradicions of men and for crookelyng of theyr vnknowen Psalmodye and seruice disquietynge with their ydle customes the consciences of the symple multitude 10 These are the very spirites of deuyls the ympes of sathan workinge such signes and myracels as would deceiue the very chosen persons and bring them into erroure yf it were so possible But the Lorde euermore defendeth his 11 A stronge power haue they by the workynge of sathan to shewe lyinge wonders deceyuable signes amonge them that shal perish for detesting the truthe 12 These shal by the permission of god be suffered to go at large they shall strongly delude the kings of the earth and blynde the gouernoures of the vniuersall world making them dronken with the cup of all abhominatioÌ„s 13 And all this shal they doe to gather them to gether by their wicked counsayles to bring them in to one cruel consent of battailing against Christe and his meÌ„bers to receiue the penalty therof in the great day of the lord almighty 14 Most busely they gather them to battel when they moue them to persecute the iust beléeuers with ful vngodly actes as now most of all in our age which god hath promised in short space to reuenge Of this wil more be spoken in the xix chapter folowing Least any man knowinge the truthe shoulde tangle his owne conscience with their spirituall sorceryes for feare of princes lawes vnder the vaine hope of repentance in the end of their liues it foloweth in playne sentence 15 Beholde sayeth the Lorde Iesus Christ or earnestly take héede vnto it for I come dangerously vnlooked for as commonly doth the thiefe to thy hinderaunce if thou watch not in fayth but lyue in superstition Though this not without reasonable cause may be taken in a generaliti for the last iudgmeÌ„t dai yet is it here spokeÌ„ particularly of euery maÌ„s departing As a premonishment he geueth this here of loue least any man should perish without warning 16 Blessed is he saith that Lorde which watcheth in the true christian beléeue and liueth not in the vaine but in the sure hope of life sealed with the iust promises of god For all that he doth shall prosper and turne him to great aduantage in the concluston 17 Happy is he allo that holdeth fast vnto him his garments or workes of Gods prescription which are the fruits of the spirite or that hath done on the Lord Iesus Christ gyrdinge hym suer vnto himselfe by faith 18 Least he be founde a naked hypocrit witout faith veritye iustice charitie with such lyke or least the rightuous number at the latter day sée his filthines vncouered and reioyce at his condemnation 19 He is blessed whiche at that day shall be couered with the white garment of the Lambe not hauinge his sinnes imputed vnto hym 20 To shewe the certaintie of the aforesayde battayle Saint Iohn saith that the diuel gathered together those wicked rulers into a certaine place called in the Hebrue tonge Armagedon The vncleane spirites that afore are named thrée of their diuers workinge in the Dragon beaste and false prophet are here brought into one as all of one lying spirit whome Christe calleth the father diuell This one lyinge spirit whiche hath bene a murtherer from the beginning comprehendinge in hym all vncleane spirites like as doth the beast all Antichristes hath combined together into one execrable zeale of fatherly tradicions all vaine-glorious and vngodly minded gouernours against God and his Christe And this hath not bene withoute the secret permission of God wyllynge to proue his elects by stroÌ„g suffering that they might receiue at his hand the rewarde of stronge victorye or of his aboundant riches 21 This place here called in the Hebrue Armagedon betokneth in mistery an hyll of delectable fruites interpreted of some for the hyll of the gospell and is commonly taken of the Hebreues for that is swéet or of valew And this without faile is the churche whiche â—ft times in the Scriptures is called the plentuous hyll of God the hyll of Gods house the hyll of mirth the hyll of oliues the hyll of Sion Carmelus and Libanus with such other lyke In this mounte euermore are they bene â—o battaile There slea theâ— innocent Lambes of Christe All their power malice and tirannye is there extremely vttered at the Antichrists labour and desire whiche are excéedingly drunken in the bloude of holye martires whiche hath bene shed vpon the earth from the rightuous Abel vnto this day But when the almighty setteth kings vpoÌ„ the earth it shall be cleare euen in the darknes that the hill of Basan is Gods hill The texte 1 And the seauenth Angell poured out his vial 2. Into the ayre 3. And there came a great voyce out of heauen from the sate sayinge 4. It is done 5. And there followed voices thunderings and lightninges 6 And there was a great earthquake 7. Such as was not since meÌ„ were vpon earth 8. So mighty an earthquake and so great 9. And the great citie was deuyded into three parts 10. And the cities of the nations fell 11. And great Babtlon came in remembraunce before God 12. To geue vnto her the cup of Wine of the fiercenesse of hys wrath 13. And euery I le fled avvay 14. And the mountaines vvere not founde 15. And there fell a great haile 16. As it had bene talents 17. Out of heauen 18. Vppon the men 19. And the men blasphemed God beause of the plague of the hayle 20. For it vvas great and the plague therof vvas sore The Paraphrase 1 Fynally the seuenth Angell wente forth vnder the seuenth seale opening as God had eternali determined
antichrist with hyr filthye wares and occupings painted out hereof the holye Ghost with hir most horrible fal in the end hir worldly fauours shewing gret heanies and the seruants of God an excedyng reyse In the .xix. Chapter is that reyoice of elect number ouer the tirryble iudgments of that whore much more highly discribed the deth of Christes holy witnesses most plentyously reuenged and how the Angel in no case will of Iohn be worshiped In the .xx. Chapter is the dragon tied vp for a thousand years the chosen sort reigning with Christ. Gog and Magog gather theÌ„ to battayle and are ouercoÌ„men The dead after that ariseth and receiueth iudgement In the xxi Chapter is the church of the chosen or the new Hierusalem prepared to to hir spouse That citie commeth downe from heauen and is of the holy ghoste here after most wonderfull circumstaunces in hir right proportion described In the xxii Chapter the riuer of lyuinge waters proceedeth from the throne of God Iohn sealeth vp the sayinges of this prophecy Christ concludeth what his kingdome is and who shall be therevnto receyued admonishyng that vnto his worde nothing be added of men in payne of dampnation Some hatefull and vngodly blasphemers there are and euer hath bene whiche wyll in no wise this Booke to be of equall authorytie with the other scriptures of christes testament But damnably wretched 〈◊〉 are they in the vaine imaginations of their sinful hâ—rts The most high Theologye and secret wisdome of God the eternall father is the blessed doctrine there of geuen vnto hys onely sonne in our humanytie and after that of him so coÌ„mited vnto Iohn by the holy ghost to be distributed taught by hym to the vniuersal christen coÌ„gregation which is a most sufficient argument of the authoritie therof what so euer mad Momus shall quarrell to the contrary Iames Faber Stapulensis in his preface prefixed to the woorkes of Dionise the Ariopagyt doubted neuer a deale to prefer this heauenly prophesie to all the other writings of the other Apostles confessing that in worthines it farre passed them all the due circumstances there of considered The more nigher saith he the light be to the sun the more strength it hath and the more clernesse it ministreth vnto men But Momus hath not yet done away the madde mistes of his monkery nor yet the darke dregges of his sophistry which both are great blemyshing vneo his eye sight The wisdom of Plato Homerus Cicero auaileth nothing in this Aristotle Uirgil if thei were aliue could herein do little or nothing In estimably more maketh the poore fishers learning to the vnderstanding of these misteryes theÌ„ the prowd painted eloquence or far set resoÌ„s of the philosophers The Lord geue vs grace from the barne of his most plentuous scriptures to fetche the fat feedyng of our feble hungry soules that we may by theÌ„ obtayne his strength into the lyfe euerlasting The third part of the Image of both chruches after the most wonderfull heauenly reuelacion of saint Iohn the Euangeliste Compiled by Ihhn Bale The xviij Chapter VNder the title of Babilon is here in this chapter folowing described the feareful iudgment of the malignant church with the ruinous fal of Antichrist and his kingdom prefigured afore in Esay and Hiremye THE TEXT 1 And after that I savve an other angell 2 Com dovvne froÌ„ heauen 3. hauing great povver 4. And the earth vvas lightned vvith his brightnes 5 And he cried mightely vvith a strong voyce saying 6. She is falen she is fallen 7 Euen greate Babilon 8. And is become the habitacion of Deuils 9. And the holde of al foule spirites 10. And a cage of all vnclene and hatefull birdes 11. For all nacions haue dronk of the vvine 12. of the vvrath of hyr vvhordom 13. And the kinges of the earthe haue commited fornicacioÌ„ vvith hyr 14. And hyr marchauntes are vvaxen ryche 15. of the abundance of hir pleasurs The Commentarie 1 After these manifolde visions sayeth S. Iohn was I yet ware of an other aungel or heauenly messenger of the Lord coÌ„myng downe from heauen whnch is the habitacle of God For from aboue al goodenesse coÌ„meth This Aungell betokeneth the faythfull preachers of our age and is all one wiih the Angel that had the seale of the liuing God in the vii Chapter wyth him that was clothed with a cloude in the x Chapter and with him thai procllamed the fal of Babylon in the .xiiii. chapter 2 In that he is sayd here to come downe from heauen is signified that they are sente 〈◊〉 God hauing great power with constaunt feruentnesse of spyrit strongelye to declare hys wil to the vtter destruction of the whore For like as the father hath lyf in hym selfe so hath his sonne Iesus and â—o hath in hym his Godlye ministers 3 His power is an euerlasting power retayninge both lyfe and death 4 With the brightnes not of this angell which was but a messeÌ„ger but of the power that was geuen vnto him was the vniuersal earth abundantlye lightned Full is all the world of the glory of God where as his word 〈…〉 his verity is once spred by yâ— true Godly prechers 5 In this strong power crâ—ed he mightâ—ly in this clere light was his earnest voice herd vttering this sentence to the world 6 She is falen clean down that was so proud she is turned ouer that was so glorious an whore yea euen the great BabiloÌ„ hyr self or blasphemous church of the Hipocrites 7 By the iudgement of God is â—he brought to vtter confusion Firste haâ— she a â—al by the death of Christ when the prince of this world was throweÌ„ forth Mark the distruction of Hierusalem wher the church of the Iews dyd cease the material temple of SalamoÌ„ and clearelye ouerthrowen not one stone vpon an other remayning Now shall she haue an other much worse by the playne â—â—nifestation of hys word to the comfort of all his elects And both are of one certenty though the one he paâ—te and the other yet to come Confer with this place the ouerthrowe of the monasteries in England Denmarke the free cities of Germany certaine other regions thinke that more sorowes are yet comming 8 These are the causes of hyr fall and occasions of hyr ruyne before the Lord. She is become the filthy habitacion of deuils much more than before hir first faâ—l for now they enter in by heaps yea seuen for â—n afore 9 Now is she the stinking hold of all vnclene spirites For ther haue al the kinds of Idolatry their earnest maintenance by hir spiritual occupiers the bishops priestes and religious There regneth Simony Sacrilege Usury fraud ambition mallice glotony auaryce pryde filthynes all mischiefes beysde 10 Now is she the corrupt cage of all vnclene fowles and â—atefull byrdes For in hyr dwelleth the aduouterous Cardinals the buggery bishops the prostibulous prelates and pristes the Gomorreane monks chanons friers and nonnes an
the sweate thâ—re of the labouring man nor deuour the poore widdowe fathereesse for strayning out a gnat 14 The continual light of lampes before the high aulter the burning cressettes at triumphes in the night the torches at burials solempne processions tapers at high masses and the candels at offeringes shall neuermore burne in thy sinful sinagog 15 No more shal the bridgrome desyre after thy folish ordenaÌ„ce to be Ioyned to his wife nor the bride to hir lawfull husbande No more shal that frée state of liuing be bound vnder yoke of daÌ„pnable dremes neyther for vowes vnaduised nor for popish orders nor yet for any gossiprye but be at full lyberty as the Lord hath ordained it No commodities prophets nor pleasures shalt thou haue any more of these nor yet of such like as afore time thou haste had of them in habundance 16 For thy mitred marchaunts were sumtime princes of the earth whan they reigned in their roialty Thy shorn shauelinges were Lordes ouer the multytude whan they held their priestly authority ouer the soules bodies of men 17 Yea and with thy priuy legardemaine with thy iugling castes with the craftes and inchauntmentes of thy subtile charmes were all nacions of the world deceyued With lies in hipocrisy were the great gouernours most miserably blinded with errours in supersticion the coÌ„mon people seduced And all was to satisfye thy voluptuous affectes Only remayneth to thée nowe the dwe rewarde of thy wickednesse which is an euerlasting dampnacion 18 All this is said here saith the holy Ghoste for that in this aduoutrous church is found the great slaughter of innocentes 19 Gilty appereth she afore God of al the blod of the holy prophets of the olde lawe As were Esaye Hieremy Ezechiel and Amos. 20 And of the sincere witnesses of the new lawe as were Steuen Iames Antipas and Paule 21 Yea and of all those Godly men that were slaine vpon earth from rightuous Abel vnto the end of the world for the faithfull testimony of God Among whom may they also be numbred which hath in battayles skirmyshes and vprores at the Popes appoinment in all Christian regions bene vnmercifully murthered for the fulfilling of his insacyable purpose The xix Chapter NOw foloweth in course the conuenyent prayse of thankesgiuing vnto God for rightuously condempnyng the blasphemous church of Antichrist and for graciously auenging the innocent bloud of his true seruaunts Here are two maner of peoples to be considered of whom the one is sorowful the other reioyseth all about one matter The fall of this malignauÌ„t church is to the one sorte a discomforte to the other a heauenly comforte The kings the merchaunts and the shippe gouernours of the earth most dolorously lamenteth the distruction of their mad vanities The vnregarded or forsaken number of those simple soules yâ— faithfully beleueth in Christ ar highly glad of it for his gloryes sake About thys one decay cryeth the one sort wo wo wo. The other sort singing wyfully in their harts vnto God so oft tymes Alleluia So much dyffreth the one from the other the children of darkenes froÌ„ the children of light they that séeke their owne glory from them that séeke the glory of god Not vnlike is Iohan vnto Aggeus Zacharias other holy prophetes which both shewed afore of the peoples return from the myserable captiuity of the Babilonians and also the réedyfying agayne of their new Hierusalem For here hath he first shewed the distructioÌ„ fal of the daÌ„nable whore the spirituall Babilon which manye yeres hath greuously vexed the people of God and now in this chapter their peaceable time in the Lord. Now are the precious vessels of God like to be restored into the temple the great Balthasar of Rome once ouerthrowen Now shall the swéet peace grow the plentuous quiet increase the pastures of the Lord waxe fat and the mightie verity of his worde flowe like a swéet running floud THE TEXT 1 And after that I heard the voice 2. of much people in heauen 3. sainge Alleluia 4. Saluation 5 glory 6 and honour 7 and povver 8 be ascribed vnto the Lord our God 9. For true and rightuous are his iudgementes 10. bicause he hath iudged the great vvhore 11. vvhich did corrupt the earth vvith hir fornication 12. and hath auenged the bloud of his seruaunts of hir hand 13. And agayn they sayde Alleluya The Commentary 1 After the destructioÌ„ of that whorish BabiloÌ„ which singnyfieth the wicked church I heard saith Saint Iohn in mistery the reroysing voyce of muche people in heuen which is that congregacion of faith wherin the Lord resteth 2 Uerye many were there amonge them which ioyously gaue thanks vnto God 3 Pronouncing this Hebrue senteÌ„ce Alleluia which is so much to sai as let vs together praise the Lordes name 4 Only is saluacion health deliueraunce of him Unto none other it is to be ascribed neyther in heauen nor in earth be there neuer so godly doers 5 Inestimable glorye vnspeakble honour incomprehencyble power belongeth vnto that Lord our God so doth the dewe commendacion thereof 6 He it is that only oughâ— of vs to be praised obeyed and magnified 7 For he alone hath ouerthrown the dragoÌ„ the beast and the glittring whore that deceyued all the worlde that proude churche of stynkeynge Sodomytes 8 And this hath he done for our saluacion Referre all the prayse vnto hym as to your conquerour most worthye 9 For verely moste true and perfecte is he in his merciful promises moste rightuous and iust in his godly iudgementes which hath bene of late most euydently séene 10 Specially in that he hath iudged according to his former promis the abhominable harlot the superstycyous church of Antichrist the filthy famelye of spiritual whoremongers gluttoÌ„s hypocrytes yea the execrable Sinnagog of Sathan in déede 11 Which hath most miserably corrupted not the true seruantes of God but the very earth or such men as were earthly mynded with hyr filthy fornycation of Idolatry superstition blasphemy 12 That mercifull Lorde hath most rightuously auenged the innocent bloud his faithfull seruauntes and constant witnesses of hir wicked hande From the tirryble crueltie spight and vyolence of hyr vnmercyfull ministers hath he graciously deliuered them 13 Yet once againe saith saint Iohn did this godly minded multitude break foorth into the prayse of God and cryed with a most ioyfull shought Alleluya or commeÌ„dation without end be vnto our most heauenly creator redéemer and comfortour Hys laude be euermore in our mouth for thus restoring his veritie the enimies thereof deposed THE TEXT 1 And smoke rose vp for euermore 2. And the xxiiij elders 3 and the foure beastes 4. feldovvne 5. and vvorshipped God that sate on the seat 6. saying Amen 7. Alleluya 8. And a voyce came out of the seate 9. saying 10. Prayse our Lorde God 11. all ye that are his seruauntes 12. and yee that feare him both small and great The Commentary 1 And the
They fashioned thē selues to the example that was shewed thē in the mount 3 None other are these horses then their corruptible bodyes prepared to battail They which are of Christ doth mortifie the vices and lustes of theyr flesh they tame their carnall affectiōs Like perfect men they brydle their bodies to the obedience of the spirite So to become the true seruantes of rightuousnesse and no more to do seruice vnto sin White are these horses for the pure word of the Lord which gouerneth thē No meruaile though these myghtie souldyers foloweth the Lord cōsidering he is so oft in the scriptures called the lord of hosts A like similitude dyd the seruant of Helizens the Prophet behold in a vision throug Gods permission in Dotham 4 This army of the Lord here were appareled preciously with pure white silk or fine raynes betokening the pure innocensy which they haue in Christe theyr general captain Not carnal is this armour but euermore spirituall after the doctrine of S. Paule Though we walke in the flesh saith he yet do we not fight after a fleshly maner For the weapons of our warre are not carnal things but things mighty in God Bewtifull fayre is my welbeloued saith the eternall Salomon for hys soule pleaseth his Lord and is loued agayn of him His fauour his mercy is vpon his holy ones he hath a louing respect vnto his chosen number A notable singe of victory in the faithfull are also these white horses vestures for afore they ar called iustificacions of the saintes 5 And out of his Godly mouth sayth the Text proceded forth a two edged swerd which is the fearce iudgement of his mighty word By this effectual swerd are the faithfull beleuers woūded vnto life and the vnbeleuers to the death of dampnacion For vnto some it is the sauour of life and vnto some againe the sauour of death vnto death By this swerd also shal the dead braūches be cut from the vine and the corrupted members from the whole body The gotes shal be deuided from the lambes and the euil from the rightuous Oh how sharp fierce and tirrible wil this sentence of the lords indignaciō be at that day Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fyre Yet shall it be vnto the faithful a perpetuall power victory triumphe ouer their enymies 6 Ouer besides all this goeth that swerd frō his eternal mouth to the intēt he should therw t correct their Heathē or reform◠thē of their heathinish life So that if they wil not at the wholsome admonishmēts of his word repent and amend their olde conuersacion that than they should be condemned by the same for their wilful contempt If men wil not turne saith Dauid he shall whet his swerde against them He wil sharpen it as the lightening and aquite his enymies their wickedmes 7 This mighty Lord shal rule them with a strong rodde of yron which is the inuincible veritie This is the rod of right order the septure of the kingdome and the wand of power whom the Lord sent frō Sion to haue sway among our enymies So strong is this septure that it wil not bowe No place wil it geue to the contrary parte If they will not therewith be ordred he shall breke them in peces as the potter doth his pot in such maner as they neuer shal recouer agayne 8 The winefat of the great fiercenesse and sore displeasur of almighty God shal he tred downe with power More greuously shal they be opressed at this latter comming by his set sētence thā they wer afore at Hierusalē by Uespasianus and Titus The vineyarde of the Lord of hostes was the house of Israell This brought he out of Egipt by strong hande Thereof looked hée to haue had grapes and it brought hym foorth bryers and thistles Their vines were as the wilde vines of Sodome Bitter were their grapes as the poyson of Dragons and as the cruel gaul of Adders Therfore will he break the hedge and throw downe the wal that it may be troden vnder foote 9 Great anguishe shall bée vpon the earth in his fury and wrath vpō that people in his anger They shall fall on the edge of the swerd and be dispersed Both here shall they haue griefe and also in the world to come 10 This victorious horse man hath vpon his white vesture besprinckeled with bloud which is his innocent māhood crucified 11 And vpō his tender thigh whom some call his churche some his scriptures as flesh of his fleshe or spirite of his spirite this name of magnificence written 12 In both of them is it manifestlye expressed that he is both king of kinges and also Lorde of Lordes the great guide of right gouernours and that monarke of godly magistrates By kings is his generation discribed of Mathew in the posteritie of Dauid and of Luke by faithfull fathers vnto Adam which had the first promise of health Both doth the godly actes of his natural māhood and also the holy spirite whom he left here to the comfort of all true beléeuers declare that he is the eternall attourney of God his Apostles true seruaunts affyrming the same And these are his garmente and thigh By hys death is our nakednesse couered which are his misticall members Of his spirite is our strength which are the generation séeking the Lord of Iacob 13 Both hath he giuen hym of God the high seat of Dauid his father and also the vniuersall power in heauen and in earth as he by whom all things were first created For his power is an euerlasting power and his kingdome such as shall neuer perishe And all this is comprehended in that he is called the sonne of the highest and in that he alone hath immortalitie inhabyting the light that no man can attayne to whom be honour and euerlasting empire Amen In this vesture and thigh are his titles written as to hys onely behou e that no man shuld of presumption vsurpe them neither by supremite nor vycarage his church and posteritie acknowledging the same euermore THE TEXT 1 And I savve an Angell 2. stande in the sunne 3. and he cryed vvith a loude voyce 4. saying to all soules that flye by the middest vnder the heauen 5. Come and gather your selues togither 6. vnto the supper of the great God 7. that ye may eate the fleshe of kynges 8. of high captaine 9. the flesh of mightie men 10. and the flesh of horses 11. and of them that sit on them 12. and the flesh of all free men bondmen 13. both of small and great The Commentary 1 After this reuelation I sawe saith sainct Iohn a beautifull Angell betokening not onely the Apostles but all other faithfull ministers in the word els hauing the Apostles spirite 2 In the sunne stedfastly stoode thys Angell which signifieth Christ that cleare sunne of rightuousnesse the bright morning star in the middest of the cloude the expresse Image of God substance of his
there were of both sortes So well was he accepted that mortyfied the desires of the fleshe and offered himselfe a lyuinge sacryfyce vnto God as hée that gaue his life for the veritie 14 But the residue sayth saint Iohn or the other sort called the deade men for that they were not numbred with the ryghtuous neyther among them that sate vpon the seates nor yet amonge them that were slayne for the witnesse of Iesu lyued not agayne after they were once dead tyll the thousand yeres of their death was throughly fulfilled The time was whan they which wer dead through sin did heare the voyce of the sonne of God They fatihfuly beleued the word therof so it reuiued in him vnto the lyfe euerlasting which was both the life light of men Wher as the froward conâ—eÌ„ners of the lyuing word hauing their coÌ„scieÌ„ces sealed with the beasts marke remained stil in their infidelitie which is the very death of the soule so were by the right iudgemeÌ„t of God lost for euer For the sin against the holy ghost which is a resistaÌ„ce against the manifest truth shal neither be forgeuen in this worlde nor yet in the world to come 15 A time without end doth this word till cause this thousand here to be after the commoÌ„ vsage of the scripture Noe sent forth a Rauen out of the arke whiche returned not agayne tyl the waters were dryed vp that is to say he neuer returned again Ioseph knew not Mary til she had brought forth hir first borne sonne That is to say he neuer bodely knew hir Thou shalte not out of prison till thou hast payde the vttermost mite .i. thou shalte neuer out With an hundreth of suche places in the Bible THE TEXT 1. This is that first resurrection 2. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection 3. For on suche shall the seconde death haue no povver 4. But they shall be the prists of God and of Christ. 5. And shal raign vvith him a thousand yeares The commentary 1 This is the first resurrection vnto lyfe to ryse from sin to repentaunce from ignoraunce to godly knowledge and from darknesse to faith Through the offence of one man entred sin into the world and through sin death Necessary it is therefore to dye vnto sin and to liue vnto rightuousnesse And so to rise togither with Christ séekyng the things which are aboue not vpoÌ„ earth For neuer shal they come to the seconde resurrection which is vnto the lyfe euerlasting that will not ryse by repentaunce vnto a new lyfe in hym which is both resurrection and lyfe 2 Blessed is that man of the Lord yea holy iust and perfect may he be reported also of all men which hath porcion conuenient in the first resurrection with Dauid Magdalene Zacheus and Peter Happy are they which hearing the word of God retayneth it in theyr lyuing For they being renued with the glad tydinges of lyfe are depured by the spirite of Christ sanctified and so made the habitacles of the holy Ghost 3 Upon such Godly dysposed persons hath the seconde death of the soule which is eternal dampnatioÌ„ no maner of power nor effectual iurisdiction For no damnation can be vnto them which are in Christ Iesu not walking after the fleshe Though they haue bene great sinners yet shall not theyr sinnes be to them imputed but in the resurrectioÌ„ of the wrightuous shall they ryse to immortalyte and be as the very Angels in heauen He that hath taken froÌ„ theÌ„ the poore of death shall make theÌ„ sure of eternal inheretauÌ„ce with god 4 They shall surely bée the chosen priestes of God the euerlasting father and of his eternall sonne Iesus Christ whiche are of the firste resurrection Though they be here in the flesh yet fight they not after the flesh but they shall folow the gouernaunce of the spirit geue ouer their bodis for a liuing sacryfice holy and acceptable vnto God 5 And thus shall they reigne with christ their merciful sauiour redemer for the space of the thousaÌ„d yeres afore named None other toke they all that longe seasoÌ„ for theyr spiritual Messyas their eternall King their hygh Bishop for all their mayster their Lorde their gyde their lyght and the shepeherde of theyr soules None other wold they acknowledge but him for their mediatoure attonement maker neyther Moyses nor Samuell Noe Daniell nor Iob Iohan Baptist Mary nor Peter Hée onely was vnto them all wysedome ryghtuousnesse holynesse and redeÌ„ption In none other name coulde they fynde health and saluation but alone in hys Nothing pertayneth this vnto the Popes masse sayers for they call vpon many names wyth Ora pro nobis and are of a far other priesthode as we haue declared afore In christes kyngdoÌ„ is none outwarde Priesthode nor sacryfice to be made for sin For he hath with one oblacioÌ„ for all fully satysfied for the sins of his electe number for euer The office of a ChristeÌ„ man now is onely to offer vp himselfe by the deniall of himselfe and by the mortificatioÌ„ of his fleshe In the holy supper of the Lorde which is a mutuall participacioÌ„ of his bodi bloud is no new sacrifice to be made but onely a faithfull remembrauÌ„ce to be taught of that full and perfect sacrifice that he made once for all vnlesse we will betray him and crucifie him againe The dutie of a minister in Christes coÌ„gregation is with all study and diligence to labour in the holy worde of God be he bishop priest Chaplayne Pastour or preacher Hys ministration is great labour no dygnitie payne and not pryde or arrogancie And hauing his foode and rayment he ought to require no more THE TEXT 1 And vvhan the thousande yeares are expyred 2. Sathan shall be loosed out of prison 3. and shall go out 4. to diseeiue the people 5. vvhich ar in the foure quarters of the earth 6. Gog Magog 7. to gather them togither to battle 8 vvhose number is as the sande of the sea 9. And they vvent vpon the plaine of the earth 10. and compassed the tentes of the sayntes about 11. and the beloued Citie 12. And fyre came dovvne from God out of heauen 13. and deuoured them 14. And the Diuell that deceyued them 15. vvas cast into a lake of fyre and brymstone 26. vvhere the beast and the false Prophet vvere 17. and shall be tormented daye and nighte for euermore The Commentary 1 After the plentnous description of the true church of Christe which is vnknowen to the worlde for the glorious doughter of the eternall Kinge is from within sayth Dauid now foloweth in course the pernicious kingdome of Antechrist whan it was in the hyghest pryde so soone as the afore rehersed thousande yeares sayth saynt Iohn are fully accoÌ„plished or brought to an ende 2 Sathan the common aduersarie of man shal be loosed out of his darke pryson and so shal be set at large by the sufferance
sturdye and dysobedyent nacion The vncircumcised giauntes sayth Ezechiell wyth theyr weapons are gone downe to hell whose swerdes are layed vnder theyr heades theyr wyckednesse vpon theyr bones Of the wycked onely is all thys spoken héere if ye marke well the text and in no wyse of the Godly what though many of them hath bene drowned in the sea burned béeheadded and hanged vpon the lande and buryed quicke in the earth 17 For it foloweth also that they were iudged of the iudge and receiued euery one accordynge to theyr deseruinges Accordynge to the fleshely fruites of theyr owne inuentions shall they bée rewarded theyr vnfaythfulnesse iustly measured vnto them Theyr bodyes shall than take parte wyth theyr wretched soules in the euerlastynge cursse of dampdamnacion the elect numbre rewarded wyth perpetuall felicytye 18 And as concerninge death it self which is the vniuersall enimye of man it shal be destroyed for euer 19 Hell also whych is here taken for sinne shall neuer more be séene amonge the creatures of God 20 For both shal be throwne into the great lake of boylinge fyre and brymstone The victorie of death shal be swallowed vp and hys stinge done cleane away which is sinne That is nowe corruptyble shall put on vncorruptiō that is nowe mortall immortalitie Thus that the Lord at the houre make of all hys enimies hys fotestole according to his promyse by Oseas the Prophet O death I wil be thy death O hell I will bée thy destruction 21 This tirrible appoyntmēt of the iudge sayth saynt Iohn is the second death or perpetuall depriuation of the sight of God yea the vtter fall from his fauour grace and mercy This death is the whole vengeaunce of all innocent bloud which hath bene shed vpon earth from iuste Abell to the last faythfull witnesse Yea thys sentence is the stone that shall grinde the enimies to pouder the very eternall dampnation both of body and soule 22 Now for a conclusion of the whole matter whatsoeuer he be king or Emperour Priest or prelate laye or religious that shall not be founde writtē in the booke of lyfe which is the eternall predestination of god for that he hath worshipped the beast and his Image he shal be cast by the irreuocable sentence of the iudge into the stynking lake of fyre perpetully there to burne with the Diuell and hys Angels So that he which hath had no parte in the fyrst resurrection shal be sure to taste of this seconde death which is dampnation 23 He that beléeueth not the gospell whan it is faythfully taught hym repenting hys former lyfe but refuseth the grace thereof fréely offered shall for euer be damned Neuer shall his sin be remitted neither in this worlde nor in the worlde to come that reststeth the holy ghost withstanding the open verytie Onely remaineth a fearfull expectatiō of iudgement vnto thē that here treadeth Christ vnder fote not regarding his bloud shedding but doeing iniury to the spirite of grace for their owne inuention The .xxj. Chapter In thys laste vision of Iohan is both discribed the prosperous estate of the true church or kingdōe of Christ here and also the perpetuall Sabboth of the chyldren of God All the other visions were mixte with labours afflictions and paynes This is full of peace tranquilitie and ioye incorruption glorie and felycitie THE TEXT 1 And I savve a nevve heauen 2. a nevve earth 3. for the first heauen 4. and the firste earth vvere vanished avvaye 5. and there vvas no more sea 6. And I Iohan savve that 7. holy Cytie 8. nevve 9. Hierusalem 10. come downe from God out of heauen 11. prepared as a bryde 12. garnished for hir husdande 13. And I hearde a great voyce from the seate saying 14 Beholde the tabernacle of God 15. is wyth men 16. and he vvyll dvvell vvith them 17. And they shall be hys people 18. and God hym selfe shall be vvith them 19. and shall be theyr God 20 And God shall vvype avvaye 21. all teares from theyr eyes 22. And there shal be no more death 23. neither sorovve 24. neyther shall there be any more payne 25. for the olde thinges are gone The Commentary 1 Besides the afore rehersed reuelations I behelde now last of all saith saynt Iohan that heauen was cleane altered from that it was afore and became all newe and so was the earth also and became the same Not onely become they nowe spirituall by a true beléeue in the Gospell that afore were carnall but also in the ende of the world shall the whole bodyes of heauen and of earthe as golde in the fornace be purged from fylthynesse by fyre goyng before the yudge which both are nowe defiled wyth the wickednesse of the creatures 2 After both sortes shall they be delyuered from the corruption here of sinne and thereof death and dampnatyon and so be restored vnto the glorious lybertie of Gods children 3 The first heauen defiled through y◠pryde of Angell and the first earth also corrupted by the sinnefull vsage of manne shall vanyshe cleane away and no more be séene Not that the substaunce of them shall vtterly perysh but that theyr nature shape and figure shal chaunge into a much more pure and perfect similytude A custome it was amonge the prophetes whan thy aduertysed the afflycted Israelytes of prosperite peace or renouation of the glory of God cōming towards thē to promis al things new 4 Beholde sayth the Lorde in Esay I make you new heauens and a new earth and as for the olde shall neuer more be though vpon Newe is the true church of Christ so are the people pertayning to the same In no poynt are they lyke to the Popes holy orders nor yet vnto Mahometes religion Clere are their hartes which haue rereceiued the verytie from all supersticions and theyr outwarde lyues from idell obseruations perfect are theyr consciences and theyr conuersacions godly And thys in the regeneration shal be fully accomplished Not onely shall that which is now mortall becō immortal the is now corruptible than incorrupted as the very Angels of the Lorde but also the vniuersall heauen shal be than renewed so shall the whole face of the earth and appere more beutyfull than now 5 And from that tyme fourth shall there be no more sea whych signifieth people vnstedfast vaine and fickle Whereas the peace of Christ is surely grounded no more is there anye troubled conscience No more is there any diffydence wan hope or dispayre Al bitternesse sorow anguish is turned into swéetnes ioy in the holy ghost We knowe sayth saynt Paule the all thinges are taken to the best in them that loue God Frō the Apostles whō Christ fyrst also called from the Sea vanished this waueringe Sea away whan they went from the mallicious counsell of the Bishoppes reioysinge that they were founde worthy to suffer rebuke for hys names sake In lyke case all impediments and néedes all daungers and doubtes all fearefull mouings and outragings
any more 22 In hir moreouer shall be no more death for it shall be destroyed for euer No more shal mennes consciences dispayre here But haue ioye in the holy ghost No more shal they die through sinne but lyue vnto God by fayth And there shall no more the rose coloured whore be dronken in the bloud of martyrs Hir tyrauntes shal be closed vp in the stinking lake of fyre from the slaughter of them they than becomming immortall and impossible Moreouer thaÌ„ this he that beléeueth in christ shal neuer die nor yet come into iudgement but passe cleane froÌ„ death vnto lyfe 23 Neyther shall there be any sorow nor crying any more For all maner of displeasure of the bodye as pouertye sicknesse losses emnytie vexacions and yll reportes are here paciently borne of the faythfull And ther shal be founde nothynge to minister any suche occasions Here is neyther age doubted nor yet persecution feared in them that reckeneth death aduantage hauinge in desire wyth Paule to be hence and wyth Christ. Nor yet shal be there where all is in ioye and peace durable for euer 24 Neyther shall there be felt any more payne Such hath bene the constauncye of the martirs here that litle haue the tormentes greued them Eleazarus paciently suffered all punyshmente Steuen reyosed to sée heauen open Andrewe woulde in no case be delyuered from deathe Laurentius offred his brent fleshe to be eaten The burnynge coles were so sweete vnto Tiburcius as the fragraunt roses So desyrous were the terryble tormeÌ„ts vnto Uincent as a moste pleasaunt banket Angelus desired the people in Sicilia to esteme the tyraunt hys frynde What the exceding constauncy was of Iohn Husse and Hieronime of Prage dyuers Chronycles mencyoneth And in our tyme George Baynham in the fyre dyd neuer complayne Ihon Frith neuer shewed him self once greued in countenaunce Barnes neuer moued as hys enymyes doth report Peter Franke in Colchester sang ioyfully to the Lorde The thrée young men of Southfolk reioysed at the death with such other many And how farre they shal be from paines after this the great daye of the Lorde shall declare 25 For the olde thynges are paste sayth the text All that afore was tedious heauy and fearefull to the flesh is nowe become easie light and pleasaunt through that they haue learned of Christ. His word refresheth them in spirit and is a swéet rest vnto their soules And in the regeneration shall hunger thirst werinesse labour heat colde rayne winde thunder earthquakes with all other discommodities be taken cleane from them Neyther shal they haue ther néede of meat nor drinke foode nor rayment beddes nor buildings féeldes nor medowes welspringes nor riuers gardens nor vineyardes The Text. 1 And he that sate vppon the seate sayde 2. Behold I make all thinges nevve 3. And he sayde vnto me 4 Wryte 5. for these vvordes are faythfull and true 6. And he sayde vnto me 7. it is done 8. I am Alpha and Omega 9. the beginning and the ende 10. I will giue to him that is a thirst 11. of the vvel of the vvater of lyfe free 12. He that ouercoÌ„meth shall inherite all thynges 13. I vvill be his God and he shall be my sonne 14 but the fearefull 15. vnbeleuing 16. the abhominable 17. murtherers 18. and vvhoremongers 19. and sorcerets 20. and Idolatrs 21. all lyars 22. shall haue their part in the lake 23. that burneth With fire and brimston 24. vvhich ys the seconde beath The commentary 1 And the omnypotent Lorde whych sate vpon the eternall throne concluded thus with me Hys holy spirite of promise assertayned my spyryte by hys heauenly word that all these thynges should be true 2 Behoulde sayth he I wyll make all thynges freshe and newe Heauen earthe the Sea and the vnyuersall Cytye of peace I wyll delyuer from all corrupcyon I make all pure cleane holy immortall vncorrupt impassible clere heauenly spirituall and glorious Neuer more shall they bee as they were afore whan they were yet olde Neuer shall be more eating nor drinking wyuing nor â—anketing traueling nor sléeping â—or other such doeinges pertayninge to the corruptible lyfe The rightuous shall than shyne as the red fyre sparkes So bright as the sunne shall they be in the kingdome of theyr father 3 Thus hath the Lorde here midsts meruielously described vnto Iohn and by hym vnto vs the misticall Sabboth of his people here the eternal Saboth after this lyfe oÌ„maÌ„ding him to 〈◊〉 it as foloweth Much to fro hath bene amoÌ„g the 〈◊〉 doctours is 〈◊〉 to thâ—â— day whether the saued multiâ—â—â—â— shall reygne here vpon earth 〈◊〉 Christ or aboue in heauen afteâ— the iudgement dayâ— Which is easy to be perceiâ—ed if the scriptures hée truâ—â— conferred Therefore serâ—h dâ—lygently the scriptures for they hearâ— witnesse of all truth Christ hath in Math. the they shal be thaÌ„ as the Angels are nowâ— in heauen whose office is hath to be hâ—re â— there And so muche 〈…〉 the they shal be as thaÌ„ all one 〈◊〉 wâ—ll shall the earth be new as the heauens And nedes it must be to some purpose Neuer woulde Esay Peteâ— haue said the rightuousâ—sse should dwelt in theÌ„ if they shuld not occupy theÌ„ both It is said here also the the new Hierusalem shall come downe froÌ„ heaueÌ„ But not so that it shall not vp againe For Christes electes shal be whereas he is Whan they shal be vpoÌ„ the earth no let nor impedimeÌ„t shal they haue to be also in heaueÌ„ both they being one 〈…〉 agyltie perfectioÌ„ shall be thaÌ„ in their bodies as is now in the glorified body of Christ or in the spirituall nature of the angels Which are nowhere now theâ— And whether they be here or ther alwaies they sée God â— are 〈…〉 absent from him Manye scriptures myght be brought in to declare thâ—â— matâ—er more at large but it wold 〈◊〉 much tyme. What mutuall feloship heauenly amyte glorious pastyme will be betwixt them the angels at that day it fare passeth al capacities to diffine I couÌ„sail 〈◊〉 to be curious in the serch of high misteris â—s this here is one without the feare of God least he ouercoÌ„meÌ„ of their exceding 〈◊〉 whoredom with many kinges by many false worshippinges This for hir méekenesse is commended of God the other proudely boasteth hir 〈◊〉 through holy tradicions merites and deseruinges to bâ—â— a riche quâ—ene With many such other 4 And the Lorde sayth saint Iohn which worketh all thinges by his onely word and commaundement 〈◊〉 thus vnto me Emprente first in thy hart that I haue here sheweâ— theâ— than leaue it in writing to the 〈◊〉 of those that than folow theâ— 5 And if thou wyll kâ—owe a reason why thou shalt thus doe take this 〈◊〉 sentence with thee I assure the so 〈◊〉 as I am God yâ— the wordes which I haue shewed in this present ReuelatioÌ„ are effectually most faithfull and ruste In no manner of
with Helias in the mount of Tarmoâ—us made an aulter in the Lords name The sure ground of these foundations was that Christ is the sone of the liuing God Upon this builded all they both in their preachyngs and writyngs All one with this was the faith of the Prophets which beléeued that he was the Lambe that shoulde take away the sinnes of the worlde For they inquired the way of saluation they serched for the sauinge health Wherin thy proue themselues the liuing stones of this spiritual building Thus vnto one sure grounde of faith extended the belues both of the Apostles and Prophetes Now are ye citizens with the saintes sayth Paule to the Ephesians builded vpoÌ„ the sure foundaâ—ion of yâ— Apostles prophetes Iesus Christ being the fast corner stone For this cause are the apostles put here before the prophets that we rediÌ„g thir profices shuld vnderstaÌ„d theÌ„ after yâ— apostle doctrin so deduce theÌ„ both vnto christ And for this consideration are they here called the Lambes Apostles that they haue in all their instructions and writings vttered nothinge but that they haue receiued of his wonderfull rich and plentuous habundance Besids all this not only are these twelue héere named to be taken for the xii foundations and none other For than should Paule be excluded which laboured more then all the rest So shuld Barnabas Silas Lucas Agabus Iudas the rightuous Iohn that was called Marcus with many other But so many godly ministers are of the sorte besids them as hath bene of the same faith spirit and doctrine For ye must consider that twelue is here a vniuersall number as in other places and betokneth all the whole felowshipp they be holden for the principals for that they were present with Christe The Text. 1 And he that talked vvith me 2. Had a golden rede 3. To measure the Citie vvith all 4. And the gates there of 5. And the vvall therof 6. And the citie vvas built fouresquare 7. And the length vvas as large as the bredthe of it 8. And he measured the Citie vvith the reede xii thousaÌ„d furlongs 9. And the length and the bredth 10. And the height of it vvere equall 11. And he measured the vvall therof an hundred and xliiii cubits 12. After the measure of man vvhich the Angell had The Commentary 1 And the Angell saieth sainte Iohn or set purpose of the Lord which commoned thus with mee in secrete mistery had a measure al of Golde in his hand in similitude of a Réede not all vnlyke vnto them that talked with Ezechiel and Zacharie in misterye also 2 And with this golden Réede which is the pure word of God dyd he take measure bothe of the Citie it selfe and of the twelue gates thereof and also of the great mightye wall of the same 3 The determinate purpose of the euerlastinge builder measureth all thinges concerning his church according to his vndefiled scriptures which are the right rule of faith and the rod of right order in his kingdome What so euer they be saieth both Paule and Dauid that liue according to this rule mercy and peace be vnto them as vpon the Israell of God Not onely is this measuring Réed precious in it selfe but also as golde in the furnace it is dayly tried a fresh through many troubelous aduersaries of them that hath vnfainedly set hands vpon it Diuersly measureth this Réede of the spirit in the citie in the gates in the wal For diuers are the gifts of the holy ghost in one congregation of the Lord vnto euery one is giuen a grace according to the mesure of faith Some hath he constitute apostles some prophets some euangelists some pastours teachers to the necessarye edification of Christes misticall body For here by the citie is ment the whole congregation of Gods elects perfectly ioyned together in one true beléeue 4 By the gates the godly preachers and counselers by whom Christ openeth vnto his kingdom 5 By the wall the mighty power which he hathe committed to the Angels or spirites of heauen to kepe theÌ„ to the godly princes and magistrates here to defend them and to other true ministers to hold them still in rightuousnesse All these must be measured They must be brought to the touchstone The scriptures must trye of what spirit they are If they agrée not to this measure they pertaine not to the citie of god But they are that salt vnsauery that is no better worth thaÌ„ to be throwne forth of men and those vnprofitable seruauntes whome the Lord shal cast into exteriour darknes 6 And as concerninge the fashion of this citie builded all foure square all foure sides therof being of like length and bredth 7 No lenger nor broder was it vpoÌ„ the east side than vpon the north syde nor vpon the south part than towards the west But equall it was euery way towards al quarters of the world And as it was in length bredth so was it in height Which signifieth not only the perpetual stabilitie or surenesse of the true christiaÌ„ faith the Lord euermore preseruing it but also the faithful beleuers of on quarter of the world are so hyly accepted vnto hiÌ„ as of another So largely doth he rewarde them of yâ— East that truly beléeueth in Christ as of any other quarters els and so highly doth he estéeme them So deere vnto him are those good Christians that dwell amonge the Sarizens Turkes and Iewes as are they which dwell in the middest of Christendome So precious that lie sick in the spittle house as they which pray in the temple Noe founde grace in the sight of God whan all the worlde els were wicked Loth was iudged rightuous in the midst of the filthy Sodomits And so are manye yet to this day among the Idolatrous and supersticyous papistes Still are there Lambes among wolues cleane wheat amonge tares and good fishes among euill Iob was a companion with the Dragons Estryches Esaye dwelt among il tonged people Ezechiell in the middest of a froward housholde Sayncte Paule commended the Philipyans in yâ— they shone among the peruerse generation as lights in the firmament Neuer is God any parciall accepter of persons but amonge all peoples he that in his feare worketh rightuousnesse is accepted vnto hym whatsoeuer he bée Thus are they in length bredth and heygth spirituall godly and heauenly through hys worde 8 Moreouer this Angell measured the cytie wyth the golden rode and it was in compasse .xii. thousande furlonges Which signifieth Christes kingdome to be so large euery way that it reacheth the whole earth ouer by his word and promis The sonde of the Apostels preachyng hath gone out into all landes and theyr doctryne into the endes of the world For .xii. euermore in the scriptures is an whole perfect number and a thousand a vniuersall summe as we haue here noted afore No maÌ„ ought in thys heauenly workâ— supersticiously to obserue the numbers but rather to séeke dilygently to
is in dede Than shall we perfectly know lyke as we are nowe knowen of hym Thā shal our measure be in al points as is the Angels measure Equal shall we be vnto them in full perfectyon vnderstanding and knowledge For as the Angels of heauen shall wée than be impassible immortall and glorious of equall number with thē The Text. 1 And the buyldynge of the wall of it was of Iasper 2. and the cytie vvas of pure golde 3. lyke vnto clere glasse 4. And the foundacions of the vvalles and of the citie 5. were garnyshed wyth all maner of precious stones 6 The first foundatyon vvas a Iasper 7. the seconde a Saphyre 8. the thyrde a Calcedonye 9. the fourth a Smaragde 10. the fifte a Sardonix 11. the sixte a Sardeos 12. the seuenth a Chrysolyte 13. the eyghte a Gerall 14. the nynth a Topas 15. the tenth a Chrisoprasos 16. the eleuenth a Iacynte 17. the tvvelfte an Amatist The Commentarye 1 The whole buyldyng of the wall of thys citye was of Iaspar stone Whych betokneth that in Christe it shal be most precyous pleasaunt delectable and sure For euer shall they be newe and gréene fresh and lyuely durable and beutyfull that perfectly beleue in hym and shall become sure stayes or pyllers in hys holy temple He that truely obserueth my worde sayth Christe shall neuer taste of death Upon a lyuynge foundacyon shall they be couched and so growe vp into an holy temple in the Lord and so together into the habytacle of God in the holy Ghost 2 And thys fayre cytie it selfe was of most pure golde so fine beutifull and clere as most pure glas possible With out spot or deformite is the true church of god hauing neither blemish nor yet wrincle and tryed it is throughly as gold in the fornace The clere lyght of thys cytie is Christ which neuer dyd sinne in worde nor in dede More precious haue his death bloudshedinge made it than is the most pure fine gold that euer was yet sene 3 A gloryous congregatiō haue he prouyded it to be and that will appere in the day of his visitatiō So far shall this excell the Hierusalem that Salomon builded as heauē exceleth the earth For that was but golde within thys is all golde throughly both within with out That was buylded by the handes of men thys is of a much hygher workemanshyppe An vndefiled heritage is this shal be chaunged frō clerenesse to clerenesse into the glorie of the Lord. 4 The strong foundations of the wall of this worthy citie which is the firme faith of the Patriarkes Prophetes the Appostles and other true teachers surelye grounded vpon Christ were beutifully adorned with all maner of precious stones or giftes of the holy Ghost 5 Diuerse were the graces which they had receiued and the fruites out springing from thē were also diuers glorious As loue ioy peace paciēce long suffering gentelnesse goodnesse faithfulnesse méekenesse tēperaunce and such other Nothinge fayre appeared these stones vnto this worlde whan they were hewen squared and made fyt foundatiōs by the manyfolde persecutions of tyrauntes no more than was the greate costly stone in the bottom of Syon vpon whome they were builded whyche séemed so deformed as a lypper Neuertheles yet was their death precious in the lords syght These are they shall theyr aduersaryes say at the day whom we sometyme thought fooles had in much derision But now they are counted among the children of god and haue their porciō among the saincts Here might much be spoken of fayth which diuersly wrought in Abel Seth and Enoch for the fyrst age In Noe Abraham Moyses Dauid Helias and other in their ages In Peter Iohn Iames with all the other Apostles syncere preachers since Christes time But let that suffise in this behalf that S. Paul hath written in the .xi. Chap. to the Hebrues which is also here after comprehended vnder the mystery of the .xii. precious stones whereof the foundacions are 6 In that the first foundacion is said here to be of a Iaspar or Dyamond Whose colour is grene is signified that the faythe of the fyrste fathers is not yet withered awaye Styll vnto this present daye is the example of Enos oryent fresh lyuely which firste called vpon the name of God and of many such other more Still perseuer they grene in the liuely Scriptures and fadeth not I haue earnestly prayed for thée Peter saith Christ that thy fayth should not fayle 7 The seconde foundacion was of a Saphire whose colour is as the Aire clere but not very precious in sight This betokeneth those simple soules which though they were as Iob and Ioseph the carpentour not precious to the worlde yet had they their dayly conuersations in heauen 8 The third was of a Calcedony which is yet more course to looke vppon than the Saphyre but in nature precious mighty and strong Of this nature were Helias and Iohn Baptiste whose conuersacion was in the wyldernesse rough harde and vnpleasaunt Yet apeared they precious at theyr tymes appointed mightely rebuking sinne drawinge vnto them the chaffe as the propertie is of the Calcedony which are the common people but vtterly throwing forth againe or condemning the Idolatours and hipocrites The word of Helias brent lyke a cresset and Iohn was a shining lanterne before the Lorde 9 The fourth was of a Smaragde or an Emerald which is not onely gren◠of his owne nature but he maketh all the ayre about him to seme greene also Of thys condicion was Hieremy and Paule whych hauing the doctrine of lyfe spared not to minister it vnto other for their eternall refreshing These with suche other throwen into the foundation of the church were very comfortable vnto other With the holy saith Dauid thou shalt be holy and with the pure innocent thou shalt be both innocent and pure 10 The fyfte was of a Sardonix which is compouned of a Sardeos an Onice and is beneth blacke in the middest white and aboue reade Such were those méeke spirited that confesseth themselues sinners wyth Dauid and Magdalene being through fayth both pure and orient afore god Though I be blacke sayth the true congregatiō yet am I fair wel fauoured We faint not sayth Paule for though our outwarde man be corrupte yet is he that is inwarde daily renewed 11 The syxt is a Sardeos which in simultitude is very lyke vnto redde earth And such are they as notwithstanding the great benefites of God thinking themselues the vnworthye children of Adam whose interpretaciō after Philo is red earth in déede Mary Christes mother was of thys sort confessing hir selfe after most high benefightes to be but an hand maide and hir spirite onely to reioyce in god hir sauiour So was Abraham calling himself but dust and ashes before the Lorde 12 The seuēth foundatiō is of a Crisolite or Turcas which shineth as gold and séemeth as it should sende forth sparkes Under thys are
the lambe Iesus Christe which is his eternall sonne is the holy full and perfect temple therof None outwarde priesthoode ceremonye nor sacrifyce for fiue coÌ„maundeth Christes doctrine to his congregation The golden measure of his word which diffyneth and iudgeth all thinges necessary therevnto appointeth no such matter For in no teÌ„ples made with stone dwelleth God which wil be all in all Only is required of them a sacrifice from the soule which is the very temple of God In his onely name shoulde the faithful sort ther offer vp themselues And therefore Christ appoynted Uespasian and Titus to turne ouer the great temple of Hierusalem and vtterly to destroy that priesthoode because we should put no trust in suche thinges nor yet be addict or bound to places A damnable inuencion is it of Antichrist that the suffragans halloweth the sinagogs to bringe them into al kinds of superstition They constitute also a feastfull daye to the honour and worshipe therof called the dedication which is most abhominable wickednesse Truthe it is that after the Apostles time ther were places appointod where as the congregacion met together once in the weake for the hearinge of Gods word and for the holy communion and that was called the oratorie or house of praier But that house was not exercysed nor coniured crossed nor smered blessed nor be sprinkled wyth water Neyther was there at that time anye aulter set vp in it anointed with oyle creme to offer any newe sacrifice vpon Consider also that the appoinmente of this bare house withoute aulter or images was lefte to mans ordinaunce without any exprest commaundement of Christ that it should be thought of no reputacion For in spirite and veritie wyll god only be worshiped And for this cause after that Christ had dryuen the byers and sellers out of the temple he commended none other temple vnto vs but his body which he raysed vp in the daye of his resurection to our behoue 6 God therfore is our temple and his Christ. In them ought we to do sacryfice and in none other In their faith should our workes labours studies be grounded only if we couet them to profit vs. Iohn for his time could sée none other temple but this The Lord of his tender mercye graunt vs to be Iohns in this behalfe Iohn beheld also at the Angels demonstration that this Citie had neither néede of Sunne nor Moone to minister light vnto it as the olde Hierusalem had Neither hath Christes congregation néede of mans naturall reason nor yet of hys worldly wisdom coniectures nor practises subtilties nor wiles polices nor witts inuencions nor traditions No neither of their philosophy nor sophystrie the decrées nor sentences of the great Lawyers Schoolemen which all is but darknesse and blindnesse 8 For the brightnesse of God sheweth theÌ„ light sufficient His shining verytie his pure gospell and his vndefiled lawes cleareth their vnderstandings A lanterne to their féete is hys heauenly word Only doth that clerenesse suffise them whiche faith offereth vnto them 9 Onely are they contented with the light they haue of the Lambe which is the bright Sunne of rightuousnes He is the Lamp the Candle and the flaming Cresset of this citie None other admonisher haue they néede of none other counseller nor teacher Accursed holde they him that bringeth any other doctrine than his though he were an Angell from heauen For he is the only light of the world the brightnesse euerlasting the vndefiled myrrour of the maiestie of God and the Image of his infinite goodnesse Whoso euer foloweth him can in no wise walke in the darknesse The dayes wyll come saith the Lorde in Hieremy that a man shall not néede to teach his neighbour or brother for they shal know me froÌ„ the highest to the lowest I shall plante my lawe in their inwarde partes and write it in theyr hartes 10 And the people of al maner of regions which are predestinate of God to be saued shall walke in the clearnesse of the light None other wisdome helth rightuousnesse and redemption shall they seke than they finde in him Neither shal they care for Mary nor Ihon rodes nor reliques hedes nor holy water masses nor merites For so shall he shyne vpon them and his glorie apere in them that the cloudes of Antichrist and his false prophits shal take no place So liuely shall the rightuous waxe in that faith of saluacion that they shall become not only the children of clernesse but also very lyghtes in the Lorde 11 Morouer vnto this heauenly light shall the myghty kynges of the earth bringe their glory magnifycence and honour as did the wise men of the East which offred rewardes vnto Chryste They shal be conuerted from their erroures to a sincer beleue in the Lord as were in the Apostles tyme Abagarus Egippus and Gundoforus And since their dayes the mighty Emperour great ConstaÌ„tine Iouinian Theodosius and diuerse other Yea some were so feruent in that faith that gladly they suffred death for it Of whose numher were here in Englande saint Edmound Oswalde Ethelbert Edwyne and Fremonde with a greate sorte more in other Christian regions All kinges saith Deuid shall worshipe him and all paganes shal do him seruyce Amonge these are not they to be rekâ—ned which leauing their kingdomes hath made them selues monks and friers or hath founded masses and monastaries to be praied for For they neuer brought theire glorye to thys light No more haue they done which hath enriched the cleargye gluttinge them with possessioÌ„s and setting them vp in a glitteryng pompe But rather haue they sought darknesse than light blyndenesse than to be taught of god Some haue thought them selues in our age clearly coÌ„uerted to thys lyght But ryghtly hath their iniquitie lyed vnto them For nothynge haue they done lesse than broughte vnto Chryste theyr glorye Truthe it is that they haue discharged them selues of the Pope and to some of hys sects They haue plucked downe shrynes and Images that receaued offeringes and dayly worshippings with a fewe superstitions besides but still bringing vp whelps of the same false generation both bishops prists Stil haue they to this day the same wicked rits and ceremonies that they had afore And when thei should bring ani thing to a right christian order according to Christes first institution they cannot away with it Great is the vengeance terrible heuy and fearefull the iudgement that abideth them 12 And as concerning the great gates of this Citie which are the true vnderstandings of the Lordes verities they shall not be shut vp by day Hidden shall they not be to them the walke in this light All that Christ hath receiued of his heauenly father leaueth he manyfest and plaine vnto his faithfull leuers Not only openeth he their feble vnderstandings but also sendeth them his spirit to deduce them into al godly knowledge 13 For in that citie shal be no night No doctrine of darknesse nor fylthye mist of
beleue his word which are the déere members of hys mitticall body No blasphemies false myracles lyes nor obprobryous slaunders rebukes spare they to blemish thy opinion to the worlde besides the most cruell kyndes of death The captaine of this wicked army is that tirrible beast whom Danyell also beheld in a vysiō with yron téeth deuouring and with nayles of brasse distroying and stamping the residue vnder hys féete 7 This horrible beast saith S. Iohn this filthy body of Antichrist comprehending all the great aduersaries of the Lord was taken sodainly 8 And with hym the false Prophet or beast rysing out of the earth betokening his false preachers 9 Which wrought vayne myracles before him as did Iannes Iambres the sorcerers of Egipt before Pharao in counterfaiting Moyses and Aaron Yea by their trāsubstauntiaciōs they can take from bread the substaūce the accydents still remayning They can hold the shadow whan the body is gone besides that they can doe in Purgatorie and hell by theyr sacrifices of satisfaction 10 With such deceitful myracles and lying signes shall those be deceyued by them that hath by a false beleue receiued into theyr cōsciences the vnwholsome mark of the beast or such a corrupt fayth as shall cause their damnacion 11 And they in lyke case shal be seduced by thē that hath worshipped the beastly Image of that great Antichriste or inclyned to any worldly potentate in the vpholdinge of hys false religion So sealed Cayphas the hartes of the wauerynge multytude of the Iewes wyth that markynge yron of Sathan that they coulde be but hys ministers In no case coulde they saue Iesus but Barrabas the murtherer Though they receiued him ioyfully not long afore into the citie with Benedictus qui venit in nomine domini yet could they at that time but crye Crucifige Crucifige eum No they had powre to doe none other but to crucifie him in déede whiche is to worship the beastes Image or to folow the wicked intēt of that beastly generation as their faithfull clyants doth yet still to this day 12 Both these twayne saith the text the head and the body the beast with hys false prophete were cast quicke by the mighty iudgment of god into a déepe lake of most terrible fyre boylynge with stinkinge brimstone For vnbewares shall destruction light vpon that cursed generatiō according to the faithfull request of Dauid and sodenly shal they fall into their owne mischiefe 13 Without warning shall the great day of the Lordes indignation light vpon them and bring thē to nought for euer Hastely shall death attache thē for their wickednesse sake and quicke shall they droppe into hel with Chore Dathan and Abyron As a waightye stone or leade shall they sinke to the bottome and the pit shal swallowe them vp for their exceding rebellion For like as they stode vp against Moyses Aaron so hath this beastely generatiō against God and his Christ. Therfore are they here specifyed after a moste strange terrible sort to be throwen foorth For thrée causes may it be that they are called here quick One is in that their stinking remnaunt shall at that dreadfull daye bée a liue after the doctrine of Paule An other in that they haue wilfully vpon a set mallyce resisted the knowen verytie detortinge it to their owne propre lust If I had not sayth Christ done among them such workes as neuer man did they should be fautelesse But they haue certienly knowen thē yet haue they hated both me and my father The Paganes not beleuing are iudged all ready and go to hell dead where as they knowing the will of their Lorde and not doeing it shall after an other sort be plaged Fyre shall they haue with heate and brimstone with stinke The thirde is in that they shall haue palpable darkenesse with weping and gnashinge of téethe their worme neither dying nor yet their fyre going out And lyke as the Diuell was throwne forth at the death of Christ and soone after that the prelates and Pharises of the Iewes as the head with the body so shall at that tyme Antichrist with his church the Pope with his clergy and Mahomete with his sectes as the head with the body also 14 The residue sayth saynt Iohan as Kinges captaynes strong weake high lowe greate and small were slaine with the sharpe two edged sword of hym that yet to this houre sytteth vpō the horse which is Christ Iesus in the gloryfied nature of his manhode 15 This mighty sworde proceded out of his reuerende mouth For it is the stronge worde of him that lyueth for euer and hath in it both sprit and life Necessary it is for thē that hath bene eyther seduced by their crafts or coacted by their threateninges to be towched with his sword For he that is not therby slayne from sinne the world shall not ryse vp to the lyfe which is in Christ. Hée that is not with hym dead from the ordinaunces of menne but styll is ledde with tradicions can not be clere from the cursse nor yet be the heyre of promise Therfore must they be slayne dead with this sword eyther to repentaunce amendement of life or else by the harde iudgements of the same to eternall dampnation 16 Which waye so euer it be all the aforesayd foules or peoples whome God hath raysed from this worlds affections shall be fulfylled with their fleshe Whether they be saued or dāpned they wil most highly reioyse cōsidringe it is the pleasure of GOD. Both wayes shall they be satisfied I◠they be saued than must they be glad for that their number is so muche the more increased and for the their selues hath escaped lyke daunger If they bée dampned than must they reioyce also to se the right iustice of God For the rightuous shall make mirth beholding the vengeaunce and shall washe their handes in the bloud of the wicked all fleshe abhorring to loke vpon them The xx Chapter THe laste enterprise of Sathan the common aduersary of mā doth this chapter folowing declare fetching an originall from the béeginning of Christes spiritull kingdōe to conclude with the whole for our necessarie instruction As a briefe rehearsall of all that is in a maner spoken afore was this vnto Iohn leaste hée shoulde of obliuiousnesse forget as mannes nature is forgetful these wōderfull misteries and singuler premonishments of the Lorde most expediēt to be knowen of his church That she might by them s◠aforehande the wily craftes of the diuell and his members and to beware of them Besids that to take courage patiently to suffer their cruell persecucions For a thing oft rehersed departeth not so soone the memory as that is but once tolde Which caused this Euangelist not onely here in this place but also in his Gospell first Epistle ofte to repeate the sayinges least he shoulde seme fayntely to passe them ouer and bycause the reader shoulde the more earnestly marke them THE TEXT 1 And I savve an Angell